Warring Factions
by RottoVoce
Summary: After a year post-apocalyptic Tokyo has became the grounds for a war between four factions. Each with a unique personality, these factions compete against each other to survive. On top of that there are still zombies in the streets. Which faction will survive? Who is destined to rebuild Tokyo? How did the outbreak even happen? Find out for yourself.
1. OC List

As I promised! Here is the complete OC List! Thank you to everyone who submitted a character. The Apostles had a load more of OCs than the other clans, so sadly many had to be cut from them. Thank you again for everyone who submitted OCs. Two more chapters and we will see some real plot development!

* * *

At this time I would also like to thank everyone who is following this story closely, I enjoy your enthusiasm. It is my hope you will leave your thoughts and feelings in a review at the end of each chapter. Remember it helps me become better! Myself becoming better means the story will become better :P (Yea I am a Apostle in disguise, that was my education speaking there lol)

As you can see we have two spots open. For those who want to give it another try, we have those two spots below.

* * *

**Warring States Complete OC List**

**Marauders:**

Samspon Vittori-_Nate The Omega-Sith_

Kimi Matsaharu-_otakuzombie_

Junbei Tachibana-_666funtimes_

Mayumi "Mana" Nanase- _Kiyume_

Azami Nakano-_Yamada07_

Nile "Yoshi" Jack River-Yuri The Communist

**Apostles:**

Makoto Hiroshi-_ShinBP_

Brandon Rodack- _RedCrownActual_

Yuuki Tachibana-_666funtimes_

Natsumi Ano-_Goshuujin-sama_

Abigail "Abby" Helen Fraser-_Fairy Lori_

KeithTurner_ -Tetsuya Uzamaki  
_

**Founders:**

Eric Dominic- _Gambit Hawk_

Ayame Inoue- _Gambit Hawk_

Felix Read- _MT's Souless6_

Mikiel Williams- _Mookiebear12_

Janet Connelly-_Lazersword88_

Yuuji Okatam- _Dateless Dummy_

**Regals:**

Carson Peirce- _Nefertam_

Thomas Raze-_Lazersword88_

Shakur Miyora-_UmbrellaOfficer_

Klay Issac Ashworth-_ShinBP_

Jaxon Chambers-_Aussieking_

_(Opeen) _


	2. Marauder Debut

Hey guys welcome to the Debut Chapter for the Marauder's Clan! This chapter will serve to introduce the Clan Members hailing from the Marauders that will make a major impact in with these major SYOC characters there will be minor characters that I included along the way.

I am releasing this chapter to give those who have been waiting to see what I will do with the story as well as relieve the excitement that has been building up inside me. Hopefully no one minds me doing this xD

This chapter has been majorly edited. To those of you who are reading this chapter for the first time do not worry, you are not missing anything major relating to the plot. If you are re-reading this chapter you will understand just how much this chapter has been edited. Hopefully you approve of the changes I have made in relation to the reviews I received.

* * *

**These three creators submitted very intriguing characters that I believe everyone will come to enjoy. Please check these guys out and lend them your support!**

SYOC Characters for the Marauders:

_Junbei Tachibana_ is created by** 666funtimes**

_Kimi Matsaharu_ is created by **otakuzombie**

_Sampson Vittori_ is created by **Nate The Omega-Sith**

* * *

In the far depths of the West just outside of Tokyo city limits is a magnificent prison. Its towering concrete walls equipped with razor wire contains the most ruthless of Japan's criminals. The walls are fifteen-foot thick of solid cement reinforced by titanium support beams on the inside. There is three separate rolls of razor wire that hang from the top completely around the wall. From a bird's view above the walls create a square of even proportion, stretching across a five-hundred acre plot.

Inside the walls there is numerous fields were the ex-prisoners can roam around as they see fit. Between the walls and the fields there is a path that extends ten feet across. This once served as a route for guards to observe the inmates behavior and also connects the guard towers to the main building. Nowadays it has been renovated into lookout towers to serve the ex-prisoners. The courts are organized mainly on the north side of the plot. A giant chain-link fence cuts off any access to the south, east, and west side of the prison. The set-up separates the freed inmates and their slaves. More on that soon.

Along the fields toward the eastern section is a set of courts where ex-prisoners enjoy basketball as well as volley-ball. Every day the ex-prisoners get together to play both sports alike. A group of ex-prisoners always gather to watch the games. Usually these games continue peacefully without causing any fights to break out and others having to intervene. However, there has been some games that ended in a bloodbath on the court. The kind of behavior was looked past with a single bat of an eye.

The eastern sector (As in the eastern side and not the eastern section which was referring to the eastern part of the north side) contained numerous smaller cells that are closely guarded. The cells were covered to ensure no light penetrated inside the cell. Inside these cells were the captured survivors of Tokyo's Aftermath. The goal is to drive those locked inside insane and convert them to their order. They were held here by the ex-prisoners known in Tokyo as "The Marauders", a ruthless clan of the old prisoners that were once bottled up inside the very walls they rule over today. Among their ranks were some outsiders who joined them for various reasons.

The western side have been modified by the clansmen to create fertile farming grounds. Captured survivors act as farmhands and are forced to stay out in the fields all day with little water and even less food. They are closely watched by at least a dozen Marauders who are lower on the food chain. They ensure the slaves do not steal food or communicate with each other. Those who violate the rules are beaten severely in front of all the other slaves. Repeated offenders are executed in the most gruesome displays to ensure discipline. The bodies are later hanged by the walls by their intestines. They usually do not last long up there as vultures pick away at the corpses undisturbed.

The south side is where the Marauders have built up a large training site along with a couple storage buildings. A large range with fifty make-shift target lanes equipped with dead bodies to suit their maniacal satisfaction serves as their firing range to hone skills. Only the middle to higher executives for the marauders are trusted with guns and ammunition.

The lower class can practice their melee weapon skills by training in the open field next to the firing range. On the field is an assortment of weapons to choose from as well as different terrains an individual can choose to practice on. The rules are different on this field then in the Pitt, no one can engage in combat with the intent to kill. Several well-armed guards conduct patrols around the field to ensure order and the rules are being followed.

In the center of the prison is the main complex. The complex was shaped like a rectangle extending one-hundred acres long by fifty acres wide. The complex is made of solid concrete. Numerous renovations were made on the exterior by the clansmen. These decorations included everything from executed slaves to traitorous rats who were discovered trying to help slaves.

Along the main entrance is a make-shift checkpoint area guarded by a pair of Marauders. Anyone seeking entry needs to show their exclusive tattoo that all members of the Marauders are branded with upon initiation. The tattoo is a white skull with a crimson "M" etched into the forehead. There is also blood splatters across the cheeks with a devilish grin adorned by the skull.

The building consists of three stories above ground and another two below ground. There is only windows on the second and third floors where the offices are. The ground floor contains the infirmary, cafeteria, common rooms, weight rooms, the metal working area, and a vast open space where the Marauders built what they call "The Pitt".

The Pitt is an arena of sorts. Its floors are permanently stained crimson from the endless amounts of bloody combat waged inside. The walls have been constructed with the bones of victims claimed by the Pitt. They still build onto the walls every week with the bones they collect from the combat. Inside The Pitt Marauders can challenge each other for sport, or for a grudge match to settle differences. Some battle for reputation or for luxuries. Those who battle for reputation may aspire to impress the Pitt Boss and increase their social standing. Any of these contests can become death matches that end when someone is dead. All matches are overseen by another Marauder who is usually appointed by the Pitt Boss to maintain rules and order.

The Pitt has very few rules, but they are to be followed at all times during any contest. The rules are: First, never fight an opponent who is not prepared to defend himself. This rule only applies to the start of the match and when opponents square up again after they break contact. Second, all contests are to be waged on equal ground. That is to say that one cannot fight another with a sword while he or she does not have a sword or a weapon of equal measure. Third, the victor gets to decide the loser's fate. No one else can interfere with the contest once it starts, theoretically this includes the Pitt Boss although no case has ever occurred in the eleventh months the Marauders ruled over the prison.

The lower floors house the Marauders with the exception of the Pitt Boss and his appointed advisors who live on the second and third floors. The second floor is inhabited by all the Pitt Boss's advisers. The layout is that of a rectangle with rooms lined up on both the outside of the hallways as well as the inside. There is a set of stairs that lead to the third floor. A broken elevator is also present.

Upon reaching the third floor there is a hallway. The Halls form a "T" if you were to view the floor from above. The Pitt Boss owns the entire third floor where he hosts his advisers in the War Room during the day and into the night. The War Room is located at the end after taking a right. Across the War Room is his personal bedroom.

His bedroom once served as the Warden's office before it was claimed and renovated Marauder style into a sadistic chieftain suite. Notable conquered foes hang from his walls as trophies. A favored slave woman is locked in her cell tucked away in the far corner. She is up-kept in appearance but covered in bruises from the Pitt Boss. She is kept for his own personal desires, whatever they may be. The only subtle addition to the room is the installment of indoor plumbing: including a toilet, shower, and sink with a broken mirror salvaged from the lower floors.

Outside the Pitt Boss's room stood two highly respected clansmen who are hand-picked by the Pitt Boss to serve as his personal body guards. They accompanied the Pitt Boss everywhere and performed many duties and functions.

Along the hallway there are numerous offices that served as meeting rooms for the Marauder's upper chain. Inside these rooms different committees would discuss various topics and plan courses of action. The ones who are present and had the right to speak in these meetings were Marauders of high standing.

The Marauders developed a unique caste system as their social and political hierarchy. Your ranking and how you are viewed was determined by your reputation, strength, intelligence, and agility. Most of these traits are graded by a contest inside the Pitt. After you receive your new status you are branded with the Marauder Tattoo that shows your official status as a Marauder. This action is usually done by your official grader. Some exceptional fighters were branded by the Pitt Boss.

If you fought exceptionally well and earned a reputable reputation you are caste in a higher area. From there you are assigned to a committee and participated in their discussions to varying degrees. If you are new you would observe then after you understood how they worked you could become more verbal.

The middle class consisted of those who fought well, yielding little ground and possessing combat prowess. From there you usually are assigned guard detail, or expedition detail. Guard detail consisted in the many guard duties around the prison. Expedition detail consists of participating in the raids that were planned by committees outside the walls on various targets. This also includes patrols through Marauder territory.

The lower class existed to serve the other two. Although they were treated notably better than the slaves they were still looked down upon in a social sense. These clansmen served food, maintained the prison, and trained for redemption. Redemption came once a month were prisoners belonging to this class could train and become stronger to advance to higher class. However, to be considered for advancement you had to kill your opponent in a death match. The usual opponent was another lower-class clan member who is aspiring for the same goal as the other. If either fail to kill each other or the contest is not exciting enough then the winner will not advance.

* * *

**In the Workshop**

A towering tanned man with a stony face hammered away at the metal he was pounding into shape. His oval shaped dark-blue eyes focused with ferocious intensity as he continued to pound the metal. He worked in silence and preferred to not be interrupted by anyone during his work. He only stopped his work to push his shaggy jet-black hair from the front of his face. A single scar runs across his nose horizontally.

He is a powerful man weighing two-hundred and thirty-nine pounds with a strong build. He has powerful arms and hands he acquired through his time working his trade. Most of his muscles are hidden underneath his usual dark purple hoodie. He wears a grey t-shirt under the hoodie, along with dark blue jeans. He wore short white socks and grey sneakers. A grey fingerless glove is equipped on his right hand. A single hammer tattoo decorates his left shoulder. His right-shoulder hosted the Marauder's tattoo.

Slung over his shoulder is his famed fire axe which he has modified to his liking. He obtained the fire axe right after the apocalypse started. Now his axe is metal plated on the handle along with a razor-sharp blade and various nails wielded to the back end of the blade. He wanted this weapon to possess the capability of a club if needed.

His name is Sampson Vittori. He is Portuguese and came to Japan with his father when he was thirteen. He is twenty-five now with quite a reputation. Throughout the Marauder ranks they speak of him as "The Gladiator". He earned this title as onlookers watched him in the Pitt fight ruthlessly against all his opponents. After every win he refused any winnings and favors offered and even turned down the chance to become Pitt Boss.

"I am already a Pitt Boss of other pits!" he once said with a crackling laughter.

The other Marauders shook their heads or stared-blankly at him. Only some could attempt to imagine what he was implying with the statement. His bad jokes became a hallmark of his character, and he seemed to enjoy them. He frequently told them when he was not working in his shop. The other clansmen learned to not bother him with trivial issues if he was working.

Even though he is a ruthless warrior he was never a criminal. In fact, Sampson traveled the early months on the outbreak carefully avoiding hordes of zombies. He was searching for a safe haven that would be safe. He pondered the options inside his head calculating what choice would be his best choice. He decided to travel west in hopes of reaching a famous prison. In Sampson's head the prison would be the most likely of places to remain secured. To Sampson's surprise and ecstasy the prison remained untouched from the outbreak. However, the Marauders were already in total control and captured him.

He did not go down without a fight, despite being outnumbered he used his axe (not modified at this point in time) and managed to kill one Marauder and injured another before being restrain. A higher-ranking Marauder witnessed the entire event and asked to see him.

When Sampson was taken to him he was unrestrained and left alone with the Marauder. The Marauder sitting in front of him had various scars on his face and a friendly expression. He was wearing a drab white shirt stained with filth. Over the shirt he wore a faded brown coat. Torn jeans covered his legs with a pair of ruined sneakers on his feet.

His axe taken from him by the chaperone. Knowing he had no chance of overwhelming his opponent he behaved. The Marauder introduced himself as the "Recruiter" and asked him if he was interested in joining their order. He informed him his other option was being executed for killing one of their own.

Sampson paused and thought about his situation. Sampson has been in business running his father's store after his death when he was twenty-three. His store became one of the most successful Jewelry stores and Metal-Working in Tokyo until the outbreak happened. The skills he acquired from business allowed him to assign values to all his possible options and decide a course of action. He decided he would have his best chance of survival inside these walls as a Marauder.

"Can I pick option "C"? Sampson said before laughing ridiculously.

The Marauder took this a challenge and rose pulling out a pistol from his coat. Sampson quickly realized the guy did not catch on to his joke and raised his hands up to the air.

"It was a joke, only a joke! Of course I want to live!" He stammered, fearing for his life. That was his first taste of Marauder diplomacy. He realized then these guys took what they wanted and got what they wanted. Anyone in their way was removed in the most beneficial way they saw fit.

The Recruiter lowered his pistol and with a twisted grin reached his other hand out. Sampson recognized the gesture and they shook hands.

Sampson was then tested in the Arena where he fought with his fire axe. His fight was with a scrawny Caucasian teenager. He also wield a fire axe of his own to honor the rules of the Pitt. What Sampson thought would be an easy match became a ferocious battle.

The teen's speed and footwork quickly made Sampson weary knowing that he could not keep up with his movements. However the difference in strength favored him. The two clashed and fought for ten minutes without breaks.

The fight followed a cycle: The teen would close in and swing but his strike would be sluggish from his lacking strength. Sampson could easily parry the strike with his own weapon but when he went to swing the teen could easily side-step or roll away from him. When Sampson tried to rush him he would evade with his quick footwork and outmaneuver Sampson.

However, as the fight went on exhaustion took its toll on the two. The years of working metal gave Sampson the endurance to last longer. The teen became tired and his movements became sluggish. The energy he expended was near its limit. Sampson recognized this change and push the attack.

The teen evaded for a couple more minutes but then his body reached its limit. His legs gave out and he slumped to the ground. Sampson hesitated over his weakened state. He glanced over to the Recruiter who was watching closely. The Recruiter nodded and gave a thumbs down, just like the emperor in Rome did when watching death matches in the Colosseum.

Sampson turned back to face the teen. Sampson felt a noglastic feeling inside his head. Images from the past when he was seventeen were compiling in a flashing slideshow inside his head. He smiled sadistically, his emotions running loose. He brought up his axe and swung downwards. The axe impaled the skull of the teen.

The dead eyes of shock and fear stared at Sampson. In return he place his sneaker to his face and kicked him off his axe. He felt the frustration leaving his body. He found the fight to be surprisingly refreshing. It wasn't the kill that he enjoyed. It was the release of stress.

He glanced back to the Recruiter who in turn smiled at him. Sampson was granted the middle-class status. Shortly after he showcased his metal working skills to the higher-ranking Marauders. They recognized his talent and built a workshop for him and named him Quartermaster.

Nowadays Sampson is responsible for creating and repairing weapons for the Marauders. He is focused on surviving the outbreak and works closely to the Marauders to achieve that goal. However, in his sleep he often dreams of rebuilding his father's jewelry shop.

Once a week a loyal customer stops by and asks for repairs. As she entered through the door Sampson inwardly cringed. As per her usual attire she was donning a faded Gothic Lolita dress. The neon colors have since been well faded and became dulled shadows of their former beauty. She appeared to be about five-foot, which was a illusion due to the three-inch heels she wore. She was really only a shockingly four-foot-nine size in reality. Often people mistook her for a small child, which she was always happy to show them she was a lot more than a small child. After explaining to them using her own methods, you could visit them in the infirmary.

"How are you faring today my Dear?" She singed.

"I am doing well for myself, and you Kimi?" Sampson responded.

"I am good but I sure felt better. Today my interview was too short!" She complained.

Sampson knew of her "interviews" with the captured slaves. Stories and rumors float throughout the prison about them. Some are utterly ridiculous, claiming she treats them to a tea party as she speaks to them. Others state she removes a single finger for every three seconds they hesitate before answering her questions. He did not care if the rumors were true or not truthfully.

"That's unfortunate. Did you learn anything from the prisoner?" Sampson asked.

"I learned he was a pathetic excuse for a Apostle." She retorted.

"An Apostle? That is what those students call themselves, right?" Sampson inquired.

"He was a sissy and told me everything I needed to know after I removed a finger." She continued, skipping over his question.

"What happened after that?"

"He was taken away. Probably gonna be a lousy farmhand after they ensure his hand isn't lost. They should of let the boys take a few shots at him first"

"Hmm. What can I do for ya?"

Kimi placed her famed scythe on the worktable in front of Sampson. Its blade was slightly chipped.

"I just need the edge to be sharpened." She informed him sweetly.

Sampson noted this and looked back up and Kimi,"Sharpen it or you will sharp-in-me with it, right?" Sampson joked.

Kimi just stared at him blankly. Sampson started to feel embarrassed he may have said the worst joke yet. Then suddenly Kimi started bursting out laughing. Tears were trickling from her eyes as she wiped them away. Sampson did not know what to think of her bizarre reaction. Usually people just shake their heads or smile and walk away when he shares his jokes. But her laughing, it was refreshing.

'This young lady is supposed to be a ruthless killer' Sampson thought shaking his head.

"My Dear, my Dear...you are a riot! I shall tell you I haven't been this entertained since that poor fellow who refused to talk." Kimi continued laughing and waving her hands fanning her pale face.

Sampson offered to pass on asking her the details to that story.

Just then another regular customer of Sampson entered the workshop. He stopped and looked at Kimi then Sampson, his shining amber eyes observing sharply. He nodded at both of them and continued walking. Kimi stopped talking as she observed the newcomer. Her mismatched red and blue eyes observing closely. It was often rumored she wore contacts to achieve the red eye effect.

"Sampson." Junbei said quietly in a formal tone.

"Hey Jun, what can I do for you today?" Sampson asked.

"That's not my name." He coldly replied.

"Wh-" Sampson started.

"We aren't buddies" He stated.

Sampson was unaffected by his behavior. He knew Junbei was not limited to being a cold person. He had a feeling there was more to him then anyone knew about.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed." Sampson said with a smile.

"Whatever." Junbei said, blowing off the terrible joke.

"Going on a raid today?" Sampson asked.

"Yes, I need the usual. Extra .45 rounds if you can spare." Junbei said handing over a black single-strap bag.

Sampson left the front desk to go and grab the supplies requested.

At this time Kimi approached Junbei. She sized up his slender toned figure, noticing the muscular aspects of his body. She was a particular fan of his choice of wardrobe. His white hoodie was unzipped with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing the red-full sleeve he had under his hoodie. These sleeves extended to his knuckles where a pair of leather fingerless gloves masked his hands.

Kimi circled in front of him so she could see his face. To her distaste most of his face was covered by a worn pale muffler, masking his sharp features that were seemingly etched into him. His black hair reached past his ears and was swept to the left. The extending hair was tucked behind his left ear. He stared at her deeply, watching her as she observed his features. His facial expression showed little emotion and was painted indifferent.

Kimi took a exaggerated step backwards, almost bumping into the desk.

"You are truly something" She said, twirling her hair with her right hand.

"I don't care what you think" Junbei stated.

Kimi just smiled sweetly. Junbei was a little wary of the look. Her unorthodox reversed bob hairstyle was painted crimson and was accompanied by black undertones. Junbei never seen anything like it before and was left pondering.

'Is it a wig?' He thought to himself.

"Like the boots. Good for hurting weak people." Kimi winked, glancing at Jubei's feet.

The boots she was referring to was a pair of black steel-toed boots. They were great for working in, and Junbei's definition of work with the Marauders was raiding. You can picture the rest and determine why they where a good pair for him.

Junbei in return nodded his head in acknowledgment to her compliment. Kimi's pale face began to morph into something more menacing after feeling like she was being ignored when Sampson re-entered the room carrying the backpack. She let out a exaggerated sigh and spun around.

"Sammy he is ignoring meeee" She pouted childishly, a hint of malevolence present somewhere in her voice.

"You are probably bugging him. Come back in a couple hours and I will have your blade fixed" He suggested.

"Okay! Better be ready when I come back or it will be your finger I am taking next!" She sang as she headed for the door.

'Apparently that didn't bother you' Sampson let out a light-hearted laugh. He enjoyed most aspects of the deranged girl's behavior.

"Were you able to provide me with everything I asked?" Junbei asked formally.

"Yes, and the extra rounds." Sampson handed over his backpack.

Junbei opened it and looked inside quickly, he then nodded and turned around as he headed for the door.

"Thanks" He called over his shoulder. His formal tone was still present in his voice.

'Never quits acting like a gentleman that one' Sampson thought as he sighed. He was suddenly finding the workshop less exciting with the two gone.

He went over and picked up Kimi's scythe. He inspected the blade and saw what appeared to be flesh almost glued to the edge. Sampson cringed slightly and placed it back down. While he had adjusted to the Marauder's lifestyle and their sadistic tendencies, and even indulged in them himself, he was a little unnerved that a small girl like Kimi was able to do something like that. In his eyes he just saw a small child.

'Guess I should stop being so surprised' He thought as he left to grab his tools.

* * *

**Outside the Prison **

Junbei walked outside into the field where he saw the raid group already assembled. He swiftly walked over and joined them, adjusting his backpack so that it was quickly accessible. A baseball bat hanged from his back by the homemade sling he crafted. This baseball bat was his weapon that he was given when he first participated in the raid missions. It served as his main weapon.

At his waist he had a .45 ACP Kriss Vector. The sub-machine gun was his prized possession he found on a scavenging raid a few months back. He always kept it as his back-up.

As they prepared to head out the leader of the group, a veteran who was convicted of war crimes, gave them one final brief. As he was speaking he directly spoke to the young man.

"Junbei you got rear security. Make sure no fuckers sneak up and bite our asses."

In response Junbei nodded followed by, "Yes Sir." In a respective tone.

"Alright, let's move out!" And the man, known as Sergeant, led them forward.

The other Marauders in the group knew of Junbei Tachibana. Before the outbreak Junbei was preyed on by other prisoners. He was repeatedly beaten and bullied every day for four months. The period of time was a torturous hell for Junbei. Then one day two prisoners concerned Junbei in his cell and attempted to rape him.

They quickly overpowered him and pinned him against the wall. Junbei was unable to stop the two. He felt despair and fear as he struggled to no avail against the pair. The man whispered in his ear sickly. In that moment he finally snapped. A sudden limiter released inside him and he fought back.

He quickly unpinned himself and grabbed the one attacker's head then slammed it into his sink. He shattered the man's face and knocked him unconscious, a blood pool forming around his body. The other was taken by surprise and turned to try and escape. Junbei kicked out his right leg in a sweeping motion. He swept the man's legs from under him causing him to fall. Junbei quickly pinned him down on the ground and released a barrage of strikes.

When the guards heard the commotion and arrived to Junbei's cell they saw two broken bodies with excessive blood lost laying on the floor. Junbei had written his name in their blood over prison jumpsuits. Ever since then he was a feared name as his actions spread across the prison. The other members recalled these tales and stared at the Junbei inside the formation. They feared him and respected him equally.

Junbei hated groups because he could not trust others to follow their orders correctly. On his first patrol mission a clansman failed to detect movement in front of him in some bushes. Inside the bushes was a small group of Apostles waiting to ambush them. As soon as they reached the bushes the Apostles popped out. One stabbed the idiot who did not notice them. The other two fired on the group with pistols.

Junbei reacted quickly and reached for his pistol then took aim. He quickly fired a round into the head of one and two into the chest of the other. Thanks to his swift action he saved most of the group. The Marauders lost two men and had another who was injured. They scavenged the dead and performed a quick security sweep before returning to the prison to report their findings.

On the way back Sergeant slowed down to reach Junbei and slapped him on the back with force.

"Good shooting son! I wish I had more men like you when I was in the war." He was smiling affectionately.

Junbei blushed with embarrassment. He lightly shoved the man away and stammered out a reply, "It was nothing, you're getting daft in your old age. I was only looking out for myself."

The Sergeant laughed even harder, flustering Junbei even more, and returned to the front of the group. Finally being left alone Junbei allowed his mind to wander. It wasn't long before he thought of his sister Yuuki.

Junbei allowed a small smile to creep on his lips as he remembered that time in a fondly manner as well. He quickly forced it away and kept walking with the group. His mind again started to wander. Harsh flashbacks overwhelmed Junbei. He recalled the last job that went south and cost him his future with his sister. It was a botched job and he killed two men in self-defense.

* * *

**Flashback**

He was supposed to deliver a package to the two. He met with them in alley off a low-profile street. At the meeting place he met the two men. One was short and chubby, while the other was tall and lean. When he got there he handed over the package he was supposed to deliver for the gang he worked for.

The two men examined the package. The drugs inside were all fake. They quickly got furious and started yelling at Junbei for trying to pull a fast one on them. Junbei tried to explain what he knew knowing this situation was escalating in a wrong direction. However, the two were convinced it was his doing because of their long-lime partnership with the gang over the years.

The short one pulled out a switchblade and the taller one unconcealed a pistol. Under his hoodie Junbei had a Beretta Tomcat his friend gave him when he first joined the gang. He knew he was at a disadvantage. He quickly tried to think of something to give him the edge.

With his cunning intelligence he thought of a risky plan. He knew it may not work, but he had no other option. From his impressions of the two he felt the shorter one was more level-headed and aware than his taller companion. Calculating that into consideration he executed his plan.

Junbei called to the taller one, "Hey shithead what are you going to do? Shoot a kid? You buggin' for an assbeating inside the pen." He chirped, twisting his words to sound humorous.

The taller one fell for the taunt and raised his gun at Junbei, "You fuckin' shit, I am going to paint this concrete with your thoughts!" he shouted enraged.

The shorter one instantly stepped in front of his friend trying to calm him down. "You idiot! We can't kill a kid! Let's just smash his teeth in and walk away from here." He tried to reason.

During their debating Junbei slowly backed away making his way towards the street. He was about fifteen feet away from the street when the taller one, looking over his friend, noticed his intention and called to him. Junbei turned and ran full speed. A volley of shots were fired at him in response. A stay bullet nicked him in the leg, causing him tremendous pain. He fell down into a trashcan, only a few feet from the street.

He rolled over and noticed the pair approaching him swiftly. He reached into his waistband and found his Berretta. He knew if he did not fire he was going to die here today.

He cocked the hammer back. Junbei then leveled the pistol feeling the cold grip resonating in his hands. As the two approached they noticed him and stopped dead in their tracks. They were caught off-guard by the teen. Junbei then pulled the trigger, killing the taller man with a headshot located right under his left eye. The shorter one was hit in the throat and crumpled over. He bleed out and died shortly after.

In the distance sirens approached Junbei as he tried to get to his feet and escape. However, his body was still reacting violently and he felt sick. It hit him that he just killed two people. He committed the taboo he promised himself he would never do.

Shortly after the cops arrived and arrested him. There was only one person in his mind. He called his sister at their house. She picked up on the third ring.

"Tachibana residence" her voice was like a sweet charm inside Junbei's ear.

"Its me Sis, listen…I was arrested." He admitted feeling the shame of knowing what he would have to tell her next.

"What? What do you mean arrested? What did you do Jun?" She sounded alarmed.

"I may have…umm..hurt two people.." His voice trailed off. He was usually an excellent liar but his guilt was overbearing.

"What do you mean..?" He sensed the concern in her voice.

"I…killed them Sis. I swear it was..." He was cut off.

"YOU KILLED THEM JUN?!" She screamed sounding shocked. He heard her start crying.

"How could you kill two people Jun?! Was that why you were never home? You were out breaking laws and killing people?!" She could not compose herself. Jun was silent on the other end has her words stabbed him through the chest.

"Why did you leave me home alone? Every night I waited for you to come home."

"I was trying to help us." Jun started, hoping to calm her down.

"Oh help us, is that why you killed two people Jun? So you could help us by being in prison?" She was practically broken now. Choking on sobs over her heartache. She loved her brother very much and he knew that.

"I hate you, I HATE YOU!" she screamed over the phone and hung up. Her words pierced his soul. He slowly hung the phone back on the receiver and slumped to the ground. He cupped his hands to his face and wept.

She never visited him. Junbei figured she loathed him for what he did. And she had every reason to. Behind the bars Junbei felt like he was the one who abandoned her.

* * *

**Back to Present**

Back in the present Junbei shook his head. Clearing away the omens of the past. Under his breath he swore a silent vow to his sister.

"I swear I will become Pitt Boss and find you Yuuki, and when I do I will protect you so I never hurt you again."

* * *

The END! What a chapter! I am so excited to finally release the first chapter. If you guys noticed any mistakes please let me know so I can fix them. I went through a couple times and kept finding new things to add or to alter. I believe I got all fixed but I always will miss something :P

Please note this chapter serves as an introductory chapter. You can get a good idea of the clan and how they operate as well as the SYOC members who will lead this clan forward. These characters are wonderful and have so many different twists.

Kimi was not shown a whole lot in this chapter for a couple reasons. It is in no means because of her "quality" as a character. You guys will find out why soon...when you have forgotten this minor detail in the chapter ;)

* * *

Again, please check out:

**666funtimes**

**otakuzombie**

**Nate The Omega-Sith  
**

These three created the characters that were mentioned at the beginning before the chapter started. I have had a pleasure working with them and the other creators whose characters you will be meeting in the next few chapters.

* * *

Thank you for everyone's support! It is the motivation that drives me forward in my writing.

Follow, Review, and PMs are all encouraged and welcomed! Hearing feedback both positive and constructive is fantastic for an author. It allows us to become better writers! :D


	3. Apostle Debut

Hey guys! Welcome to the Debut Chapter for Apostles!

Sorry for being a day late of the submission. V-Day had me caught up instead of editing.

**I first want to start off by saying a huugggeee thank you to everyone for their tremendous support! This entire week has been amazing for me. I want to thank everyone for taking their time to read the story. And a huge thank you for everyone who read it and gave me back some feedback by review or PM. I appreciate you guys giving me your thoughts on the story and characters!**

I am editing some issues I had pointed out to me in the first chapter. For those who have already read it you are free to re-read it if you wish. I have not made any major changes. Just minor details here or there.

I have a exciting announcement!

Due to the sudden increase in popularity with OCs being submitted I have decided the day this chapter is posted I will re-open OC submissions for a single week. During this time I encourage people to submit more characters for any clan. I ask that you please follow the forum format which can be found on my profile to copy and paste. I just don't want to have to sort through all the information in a giant paragraph. I have done that for a few characters and I realize it's difficult. To those that already have done that and I have spoken to you, no worries your character is not going to be disqualified.

As for the total number of OCs I will accept for each clan that will depend on how many submissions I get. If I receive a number of OCs for a clan that surpass the number I am accepting, I will make the executive decision. Submissions end on the 22nd of February.

** If I do not include your character please do not take it offensively. I aim to please everyone, but that cannot always happen with a story like this.**

I hope to see your OC submissions! Looking forward to seeing your awesome ideas!

* * *

Here are the OCs you will meet in this chapter! Please check out the creators of these characters, all of them worked with me(I can be picky) and created amazing characters!

**Makoto Hiroshi** is created by ShinBP

**Yuuki Tachibana** is created by 666funtimes

**Brandon Rodack** is created by RedCrownActual

**Natsumi Ano **is created by Goshuujin-sama

* * *

In the far reaches of Southern Tokyo lies the campus belonging to the University of South Tokyo. The school possesses a large campus with numerous buildings dotting the land. From a bird's eye view the campus takes the form closest to a rectangle. The total area of the campus is about 300 acres. Surrounding the entire campus is a makeshift barricade the Apostles built to keep the dead from wandering inside their realm. The barrier was created using cars from the parking garages.

A few Apostles with knowledge in wielding reinforced the cars with sheet metal to improve the structure and prevent zombies from slipping through. They also created a row of spiked metal poles that point outwards from the campus. The trap impales zombies if they try to advance past the barricades. This modification makes it impossible for zombies to get inside the campus territory.

On the campus there was four main buildings that the Apostles used regularly. The main buildings are the University Center, Carpentry College, Sports Complex, and the Agriculture Complex. These buildings serve as the Headquarters for each of the Departments and the Presidential Cabinet respectively.

**Agriculture Complex**

In the eastern corner of the campus is a brick building of four stories. The building itself is relatively large compared to the other surrounding buildings. The entire roof is covered with solar panels. Rows of windows decorate every story. This building is known as the Agriculture Complex. It serves as the headquarters for the Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture is divided into four sub-fields:

1\. Farming: The members of the farming sub-field grow and maintain the crops.

2\. Research: The members who conduct research are tasked with finding new innovative applications towards growing crops and herbs.

3\. Pharmaceutical: The elite members with extensive knowledge in medicine are assigned to this sub-field. Their mission is to monitor medicine in their inventory and administer it. They are the doctors and nurses of the Apostles.

4\. Development: Development works with the Construction Department to create new technology that improves the Department's effectiveness in completing all tasks assigned to it.

Before the outbreak the building was used to grow various species of plants for students to observe and research. Nowadays, under the control of the Apostles the building acts as a giant artificial farm. Every floor is designed to function as a artificial farm.

These artificial farms are the masterpieces of the Agriculture Apostles. The farms consist of many different crops: Tomatoes, peppers, peas, and radishes grow inside pots sitting on the windowsills. Carrots are grown in boxes. Potatoes are grown in plastic sacks. Mushrooms are grown inside the cupboards of laboratory tables.

The layout of the first three floors is identical to each other. On all the windowsills are pots of various sizes. Numerous crops are grown inside them. The entire floor is arranged with neatly organized rows of boxes. These boxes are about three feet in height. Their width varies depending on the crop. Inside all the boxes is soil. Large amounts of plastic sacks are stored in a remote area on the floor. Inside the stacks are potatoes covered in soil. New potatoes will sprout from these conditions.

Every aspect of the farm is monitored closely by the Apostle members who belong to the Department of Agriculture's farming sub-field. The senior members with the most experience and knowledge are in charge of monitoring the farms. They are also tasked with teaching the uneducated Apostles how to grow crops.

On the fourth floor the Department Director's office can be found located in the far corner. Here the Director spends his time planning new projects and organizing his department. Whenever he is at meetings his Assistant Director assumes his role until he returns. The rest of the floor acts as a laboratory where rare medical herbs are grown. This floor is highly guarded at all times by trusted members. The herbs are grown along the walls with talented students belonging to the Research members working feverishly. The Pharmaceutical members oversee their work.

**University Center**

The University Center is a monument to the Apostles. The building itself is very irregular looking. The sides curve upwards past the roof and sprout at an acute angle away from the building. On the sides that face inwards are flexible mirrors that reflect sunlight towards the center. A giant dome inhabits the center of the roof. The outside of the dome is made entirely of solar panels. (Mirrors reflect sunlight to solar panels. That's why these guys have degrees!)

The University Center is the headquarters for the political powers of the Apostles. The Political bodies are broken up into four committees. All these committees present their findings in a weekly meeting. The amount of information they release to the public is limited to their liking.

The four political committees are:

1\. Defense Committee: This committee debates all issues and practices that are related to the safety and welfare of the Apostles. They work tirelessly to ensure the Apostles are always safe on Campus.

2\. Department Committee: The committee works with all the other Departments and makes sure they are completing their projects as well as serve their role to the Apostles. They usually do not have any problems and relax most of the time.

3\. Presidential Committee: The Presidential Committee consists of the Presidential Cabinet and the President's advisers. Behind closed doors they discuss the future of the Apostles and create new policies that govern the entire Apostle clan.

4\. Relations Committee: This committee focuses on creating relations with the other clans that they have come across. They construct trade agreements and are instrumental in establishing the foundation for peaceful relations. They strive to accomplish their goals feverishly but have a very tough time working with the other clans.

There is a large courtyard nestled in front of the University Center. This courtyard became the popular sight to host the Presidential election every year. Students gather together and stand in front of a stage crafted by the early Apostles shortly after the outbreak (More on that later). Bordering the courtyard is marble tiles with names etched in them. Metal-cased railings slightly rusted with chipped paint divide the courtyard from the rest of the campus. Beautiful hedges add some "nature relief" to the brick-and-mortar dominated canvas.

Inside the building is a foyer area with a main desk to the right. The desk is attended by a few Apostles who can provide assistance for various needs. Usually this assigned duty is boring because Apostles have learn their way around by now. The Apostles assigned here typically are reading or playing cards.

Aside from the main desk the foyer also includes beautiful paintings and pictures from the past. This is the highlight of the foyer as many Apostles find themselves lost staring at the memories from a life-time ago. The patterned floor tiles shimmered from the glow of the sun setting through the windows. Exotic reflections danced across the pale walls.

Straight across from the main entrance the foyer leads to a hallway that ends after one-hundred feet. At the end is a staircase. Both the basement and upper floors can be reached from here. A chain of rooms are connected to the hallway. This led to some medical students calling it "The Spine". The name stuck on after a few months and became common terminology. A few art students created a creative sign bearing the nickname and hung it above the entrance to the hallway.

The rooms connecting to The Spine are used for various clubs. These clubs are usually small and act as hobbies for most of the students who want a break. The idea became popular when Apostles were finished with their Department duties for the day and had nothing else to occupy their time or interest.

Located down in the basement are three main auditoriums. These auditoriums can host up to six-hundred students. They all include a stage and a massive seating area. They have since been renovated to serve as the locations for political debates. A large table accompanies the stage along with a podium. The seats have remained untouched. During the week Apostles can come and observe their elected government bodies discuss problems, policies, ideals, and so forth.

On the second floor were large rooms that the Apostles renovated into meeting rooms for the Presidential Cabinet and the President. Inside these meetings observers are not permitted. This often raised some questions inside the minds of the average Apostles, but no one expressed any serious concern. The courtroom is also on this floor.

The courtroom serves to judge the guilty parties in Apostle society. These accused criminals have the right to a fair trial heard by a judge and a jury. The jury is selected every week by each Director. Ten members are selected from each Department and serve as the deciding party for the accused. There is no lawyers present at this courtroom, nor is there any possibility you could have someone else represent you in this courtroom. The Judge is a trusted individual elected from the President's Cabinet.

On the third floor are numerous offices of the Presidential Cabinet. The hallway stretched around in a square shape. From where the hallway starts initially there is a wall that is part of the Dean's Office immediately to the right (The square is missing one of its sides basically). Offices line the entire hallway on both sides throughout the floor. The President's Office occupied the space of the Dean's office before the outbreak which was located at the very end of the hallway.

**Sports Complex**

In the western sector lies the Sports Complex. The Sports Complex is a fairly average brick building and serves as the Defense Department's Headquarters. There are soccer fields, baseball fields, and open grass areas bordering the building. Out in the grass areas obstacle courses have been constructed to train Apostles. These courses vary in difficulty. The other fields are used to either play a friendly game or to host combative training.

The Defense Department is divided into the following four sub-fields:

1\. Scavenging: These members act as the gathers for the Apostles. Scavengers are primarily trained in stealth instead of combat. They are taught to loot and boot instead of run and shoot. They conduct raids on locations in search for resources.

2\. Combat Forces: These members are the front-liners for the Apostles. They are entrusted with the strongest arsenal available to the Apostles. They focus on combative training and tactics. They are taught to run and shoot in a hostile environment.

3\. Intelligence: Intelligence focus on gaining information about all military affairs both foreign and domestic. They are not a secret to the rest of the Apostles. However, no one completely knows what methods they use to gain information from captured enemies. There is also rumors they send spies to the other clans and infiltrate them.

4\. Command: These members are entrusted with the lives of their fellow Apostles. Only the most capable leaders and tacticians are included in this sub-field. They monitor the status of every mission and assign those who will lead the members during it.

One particular set of courses serves to train Apostles how to tactfully act as a team inside hostile territory. The course focuses on learning basic tactics and communication signals for when in hostile territory as well as combat. This particular course is designed for the scavenging missions the Department of Defense conducts. Apostles who are members of the Defense Department have to complete this course. Veteran members of the Defense Department serve as the trainers for the course.

Inside the Sports Complex is a wide open layout. There are numerous basketball courts stretching across the room. By the entrance on the right side are the change rooms. The equipment area is located on the far side built into the wall. The equipment room is a locked caged area that stands behind a desk. A couple Apostles supervised by a trusted Apostle stand behind the desk. They hand out combat equipment for other Apostles who feel like training. They also have MREs and water readily available for the training Apostles. The majority of Apostles who train in combat are either members of the Defense Department, or are aspiring to join the Department.

On the basement floor is the Director's office. The room is relatively small and crammed. Maps of Tokyo's city districts are plastered over the walls. There is various points circled in various colors. The desk appears invisible with all the scattered papers and maps sprawling across. This was a General's War Study instead of a office.

The Defense Department was unique in the aspect that they handled all foreign operations as well as security forces. The members belonging to this Department are properly trained in basic combat survival. The projects they worked to accomplish are based outside the campus. They had goals to salvage supplies from the city districts.

**Carpentry College**

Located in the northern corner the Carpentry College is the headquarters for the Department of Construction. The college is a concrete building with a set of bay windows located on the second floor. It was very unique from other colleges located on campus. The building is only two stories with a few offices. Numerous carpentry wonders decorate the exterior of the building.

The Department of Construction consists four sub-fields:

1\. Woodwork: Members belonging to this sub-field create items using wood. This sub-field requires creative artists to create furniture, structures, etc. They possess the skill-set to serve the Apostles who favor culture.

2\. Metalwork: Members who are part of this sub-field create items using metal. This is a more skilled practice with more implications in Apostle operations. They create machinery, technologies, and weapons for the Apostle clan.

3\. Foreman: This sub-field appoints members to monitor all metalwork and woodwork projects. This includes assigning tasks and inspecting finished products. They are the members entrusted to ensure the needs and wants of the Apostles are being fulfilled.

4\. Development: This sub-field works with the other Departments to create new conceptions and ideas. They create the inventions that will accomplish those concepts.

On the right side of the building is the scrap yard. A giant wooden fence bordered the area. Two Apostles from the Defense Department guard the entrance to the scrapyard. They are supervised by a Construction Department foreman who stays inside the scrapyard. Only the Construction Department had access to the metals. These metals are used to create various items to benefit the Apostles.

The entire first floor is unobstructed from any ways or doors. A single staircase is the far left corner of the floor. On the far side of the building are stacks of lumber laying on palettes. There are various sizes of lumber readily available for use. All the palettes are stacked against the wall. Larger pieces of lumber stand against the wall so they do not topple over. On the other side are long wooden work tables that extend across the entire floor. There is a small space for members to slip around and get to the other side of the table on both ends. A wide assortment of tools hang on the wall beside the worktable.

On the second floor is heavy machinery used for metal crafting. Only the most skilled Apostles of Construction can work on this floor. Their skills enable them to craft all the weapons of the Apostles. They also invent new weapons and create modifications. The Director's office is located on the floor. His office is very unique as it was built by the Director himself. He crafted lumber to create the walls and furniture that decorates the interior. The door is made from metal with a locking mechanism. No one is sure why he looks his door, but do not question it. Most believe he just wants his privacy.

**Apostle History**

UST, as the University used to be referred to, was a popular school offering programs for aspiring students in nearly every college (Universities encompass multiple colleges in case you did not know). The school was attended by fifteen-thousand students. The outbreak occurred in May during the summer break. Only around one-thousand and five-hundred students were at the school taking summer courses.

During the outbreak the students of the university defended their territory against the undead. An organized group emerged during the chaos and worked swiftly assigning duties to students who offered their assistance. This would serve as the beginning of the Apostles.

"Lets park the cars around the campus!" An authoritative voice commanded.

"You guys! Look for weapons. Anything will just about do!" Another voice rose.

"Some of you go and try to calm the other students down and inform them what we are trying to do." A voice within the group demanded.

All of these voices became part of a core mechanism for the student body. Under their leadership the foundation of the Apostles was blossoming and a foundation was being laid out for a thriving community. Before all this could happen, a few objectives and social concerns had to be addressed.

The first objective was to create a wall of sorts to stop zombies from coming onto the campus. To accomplish this students pooled into the parking garages and drove them around the campus. They communicated with blinkers to signal if they say any zombies in the area. The operation was not without flaws however.

Panicking students filled the streets during the chaos. The fleeing students attracted the undead and quickly became victims. This increased zombie activity and endangered the students from achieving their first objective. In response, the main group who directed everyone formed a strike team.

The strike team was tasked with the second objective, clear the zombies. Initially the strike team was not exceedingly large. However, when the team fought the zombies they inspired some of the students who previously tried to flee to join their cause. Quickly an organized militia was formed and the zombie threat was beaten down.

Dusk was upon the students quickly. The overall completion of the operations was about fifty percent. The students knew continuing the operation at night would be hazardous. Most of the students gathered at the University Center. They were going to vote whether they would continue the operation throughout the night or hold off till dawn. The group of students who previously organized the students conducted the vote. Students not interested in voting remained around the campus defending it from any undead who were creeping around.

For the voting process the students gathered in the courtyard outside the University Center. The students formed a massive assembly standing on their feet. A spokesperson from the group stood in front of them atop metal chair. The student announced what the rules were for voting and how they would conduct the vote.

Students waited for the spokesperson to make the announcement. He spoke up and announced for those who wished to continue the operation throughout the night to step forward. The students in favor stepped forward and separated from the group. They were counted by the other members of the organized group who was seen as the authority party (Same party that was issues directions and orders for the students). After they counted the group they counted the other group who did not step forward. The democratic vote resulted in the students carrying the mission throughout the night.

This event would be the beginning of the new political hierarchy for the students. Both operations were competed through the night successfully. There were some casualties, however the number was smaller than most anticipated.

After the campus became secured and the zombie threat was neutralized objective three was tasked to all students. The objective was to scour the entire campus and gather supplies. The students quickly executed their mission by coming together and forming raiding parties. After a few days objective three was completed.

When supplies were brought back to the University Center they were sorted based on the item. Food was sent to be stored at the cafeteria. Intelligence and office supplies were kept at the University Center. Weapons were stored at the sports complex locked away in the equipment rooms.

Some students challenged the group's leadership. They were prideful and could not bear to be ordered to do things as a collective group while the leadership observed them as monitors.

"Why are we here working while you guys are sitting on your thrones!" A woman snarled.

"Who made you in charge?!" Another hollered.

"How much in taxes do I pay to the crown?" A mocking voice shouted.

The pleas of a minority made it clear to everyone an "official" hierarchy needed to become established. Without a hierarchy the small group could destroy everything the students achieved through inner conflict.

A week after the outbreak all the surviving students gathered once again at the University Center. It was a lengthy debate. Different ideals and thoughts exchanged back and forth. Finally after a few hours a Democracy was decided on. A collective vote favored the group that took charge during the outbreak to fill in the positions of President and his cabinet.

From within the group they figured out their positions. They announced once the situation stabilized they would hold a proper vote so everyone could have a voice. Some people felt sour about not voting for these positions the group assumed, but their voices were deafened by the majority. Such is the will of democracy.

The following months were filled with various projects. Knowing they could not effectively ensure the projects were accomplished without some leadership on-site the Presidential body announced the First Policy. The announcement was made during the second week after the outbreak outside the University Center.

The President stood again in front of all the students. Instead of a chair he had make-shift stage where he was available to everyone's curious eyes. As everyone stood together in front of the stage the President addressed them. He announced there will be a new policy in effect immediately.

It was called the First Policy of the Students and it read:

_As of today there will be the following reformations in effect:_

_1\. Establishment of the Departments for Agriculture: to maintain produce supply and storage, Construction: To maintain and renovate buildings in use by the Students, Defense: To protect the students and Campus from all foreign and domestic threats, are hereby established to serve the President, Presidential Cabinet, and all students to the utmost of their ability._

_2\. These Departments will each by headed by a Director chosen by the Congress on their first meeting. Succeeding Directors can be achieved by any of the three following ways:_

_2a. If a Director steps down from their position_

_2b. If a Director is deemed unfit from their position and impeached by the Department's body_

_2c. If a Director suffers a untimely passing_

_3\. Each Department is governed by the Director and under his/ her guidance. The Director is entrusted with the projects of the Department: which is to include the personal assigned to a project, their safety, leadership, and outcome of the project overall. A detailed report of every project will be given by the Director to the Congress every week at the weekly meeting._

After the proclamation there was cheering from the crowd. The overall student body approved of this policy and applauded the Presidential Cabinet for remaining true to its promise. Once the cheering died down they were told to make their way inside and enter the auditorium for the department that they were interested in serving as members.

When everyone was sorted into the three separate auditoriums they all began their process to electing their Director. Those who were interested in the position went on stage in front of their peers and stated their experiences, knowledge pertaining to the Department that would be beneficial, and the projects they felt needed to be conducted.

The assemblies were enormously time-consuming and overseen by members of the Presidential Cabinet. Those present who were not interested in the politics left the auditorium and guarded the campus during the assembly. When the assembly came to a close and the Director was elected they made their way to the Presidential office which was on the third floor of the University Center.

Each newly elected Director went inside the office and talked with the President. During these talks projects, housing for members, hierarchy, and a headquarters were all topics of discussion. The Presidential Cabinet already selected the buildings on campus that would serve as the headquarters for each Department. After the discussion the Directors left the office and went back to the auditorium to gather their respective Department.

When the Directors returned inside the auditorium everyone turned to look in anticipation. They were curious what would happen next. Each Director gave a short briefing on the stage. They passed along the location of where they would operate, where they would meet, and where all the members would live from now on. Everyone remained silent during the brief. After the Director finished a couple people would ask questions.

They left together heading towards their own headquarters and started operating. With the establishment of Departments and Directors the Presidential body became more effective. Less pressure was exerted onto them and they were able to focus on new policies. At the next meeting it was proposed that an "identity" be selected to represent their new society.

Each Department got together and polled their members for suggestions. These debates were loud and resonated with ideas bouncing off the walls and ceilings inside the rooms. During the debate at the Construction Department's meeting room a name was thrown out. This name would become the identity of the entire student body.

"Why not 'The Apostles'?" A female student asked abruptly.

"The Apostles? Like the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ?" Another student, this one a male, inquired.

"Not entirely, like twelve teachings" The first student elaborated.

"Twelve teachings? How did you devise that concept?" Yet another student offered.

"There is four sub-fields for all three individual Department, correct?" The female student asked.

"Yea there is." The third student confirmed.

"Ah..." The second voice of the male student hummed. He understood where the female student was going with this concept.

"If you combine all the sub-fields of the Departments, you get twelve different concepts." The female student stated.

"You can interpret that as twelve different teachings!" The male student voice resonated.

"Don't forget we are students." The female student continued. She held up a finger to her lips as a gesture to everyone else.

Everyone in the room now remained quiet and listened intently to her. In a softer voice, almost like a child telling a secret, she said " We are the students of God."

The entire room began to cheer and applaud her idea. They all decided to support her idea and adopted the identity amongst themselves before the meeting. Quickly the identity spread to the other students and became increasingly popular.

After a week everyone formed together outside the University Center in front of the stage to vote. The vote was a landslide victory in favor of the term Apostle. In the following months the name spread slowly across Tokyo to the other factions announcing a new society looking for an answer in the aftermath.

**Outdoor Basketball Court Present Day**

On the basketball court a friendly game of pick-up basketball was underway. Standing under the opponent's basket was a towering six-foot-two Apostle. Sweat dripped from his spiky raven hair. His hair trimmed so it was shorter on the back and sides than the top. He wiped the sweat away, pushing aside the few bangs that fell over his forehead. He was careful to not accidentally rub it into his eyes. He was currently being guarded by a shorter Apostle of average build.

The raven-haired Apostle was fairly slender, almost on the thin side. The Apostle guarding him assumed he had him shut down because of the size difference. This caused the particular raven-haired teen to smile. His deep, sharp blue eyes watched the ball carrier who was looking to generate some offense. The last basket wins the game and the pressure was on. The two made eye contact and they both knew what to do.

The ball carrier attempted a shot from the three-point mark launching the ball into the air. The pair under the net both watched intensely anticipating a rebound. The ball hit the rim and bounced off. Both players vaulted upwards with explosive force. The guarding Apostle was within inches of snatching the rebound when the raven-haired teen surprised him and grabbed the ball. He finished the play with a powerful dunk, slamming the basketball through the basket.

'What leg strength he must have' The shorter Apostle thought as he landed on the court. He made a mental note to hit the training sessions more often.

The other players gasp as he landed. His teammates ran up and congratulated him. A few onlookers cheered and applauded his spectacular play.

"Way to go Makoto!" A teammate exclaimed.

"What a dunk!" Another said while imitating his version of the dunk.

"It was the shot the whole thing up. I just was there for the rebound." Makoto Hiroshi stated modestly.

Everyone laughed in response. After a few more minutes the group of teammates said their farewells and separated. Makoto picked up his bag from the sideline. He found himself wondering what he would do next. He had the entire day off to spend enjoying himself. He decided he would first get some water from inside the Sports Complex then get changed.

He entered the complex. There was numerous games of basketball being played on the indoor courts. Makoto walked along the side of the wall to reach the Equipment Room's desk. A young woman was standing behind the desk fumbling with her pearl necklace.

"Hey do you guys have any bottled water?" Makoto inquired. He had to look down to see the woman's face. She was roughly a foot shorter than him.

The young woman glanced up at him with her round blue eyes. She smiled sweetly and responded, "Sure do!" and she turned and went into the back room.

Makoto looked around patiently. He watched the other Apostles play their game of basketball. He was enjoying himself when he heard the woman come back.

"Here you go, its nice and cool for you." She stated as she handed him the water.

As they went to make the exchange she released her grip prematurely and dropped the water bottle. Makoto was able to make a lightning catch, snatching the water bottle mid-air. The woman quickly bowed her head and apologized. Makoto laughed a little and reassured her. The woman smiled, her pretty face beaming.

Makoto excused himself then turned and left the front desk. He proceeded to navigate his way around the courts to reach the change room. Inside he took off his sweaty basketball clothes. He reached into his bag and grabbed out some clothes. He slipped on his black jeans and a navy-shirt. Grabbing all his stuff he drowned the bottle of water before leaving the room. By the door of the Sports Complex was a large green bin. He took aim and swished the water bottle into the bin.

"That's my contribution to the Apostles today." He said and left the complex.

A recent project of the Construction Department was collecting plastic and smelting it into different crafts. They were experimenting what they could use the plastic for. A Marauder raiding party that ambushed one of the Apostles scavenger parties virtually annihilated them. A sole survivor reported a individual from the group had a plastic wrist guard on both arms. Apparently it was so thick it stopped an Apostle attack becoming fatal. After hearing the news the Construction Department established the project to collect plastic and learn ways to incorporate it into the armory.

Makoto approved this project and understood the importance it had for the Apostles. Marauders were always a threat but they were not the only ones out there. Apparently there was a missionary group discovered by a scavenging party. The missionaries all wore a red self-crafted cape with a unknown insignia. The insignia resembled a cross with a crown on the top. There was three lines laid horizontally that fell below the cross in a descending fashion. **  
**

The Apostles became wary and remained hidden. The missionaries were preaching to the zombies. As they neared the monsters they drew weapons and struck the zombies down. Afterwards they produced a small bottle from their personnel and dripped a few drops on the creatures. The Apostles were speechless having never seen such an act. When they returned back to the campus they informed everyone.

He continued to ponder his thoughts and eventually made it to his home. More accurately it was the home to all undecided Apostles. In front of him was a towering building that was his old dorm room before the outbreak. Since then it has seen better days. The elevator does not work and indoor plumbing is a luxury they do not have. A row of outhouses line the exterior. Compliments of the Construction Department.

Still, even though it was a shadow of its former glory it was his home. He felt more at peace here than anywhere else. Perhaps because he occupied the space before the outbreak.

Before the outbreak Makoto came to UST under a basketball scholarship. He chose finance as a major with a minor in accounting. He was aspiring to join the business world knowing basketball may not pan out. He was only into his freshmen year taking a couple summer courses when the outbreak occurred. He and a group of his friends were watching the news when the announcement was made.

They ran into the streets to observe the situation, believing the news to still be a joke. What they saw was the campus under siege of terror and mass panic. Makoto realized the news may be true and tried to think of something he could do. Keeping his head he calmly called to people and tried to unify the student body. He knew mass panic was not going to help any of the students. His friends followed suit and soon they calmed down a sizable group.

Inside the group there was other members who thought like Makoto and they began working together. This group was the famous band of students who led the rest of the student body for weeks after the outbreak. Makoto was offered to stay with them and join the political body but declined. He preferred to offer his advice instead if needed. His friends respected his decision and left it at that. Since then he hasn't heard much from them.

A slow smile came across his face, "Guess I will read for the rest of my day." And he proceed forward entering the building.

**Inside Sports Complex**

Behind the desk in front of the Equipment Room stood Natsumi. She was currently very bored ever since the Japanese man left with his water. He was the only excitement of her day as no one else came and asked for something. She sighed and was tossing up a pen into the air than catching it.

"Ms. Ano" A voice suddenly appeared behind her, causing her to jump from surprise and drop the pen. It clattered on the ground and rolled away.

Natsumi turned around and locked her round blue eyes on the newcomer. She immediately recognized him to be her shadow (As in someone who follows another on the job to learn about it) for the day.

He was a younger Apostle compared to the others. He possessed ginger hair and a athletic figure. He was only fifteen when the Apostles found him and a few others holding out on top of their school. They agreed to join them and journeyed with them back to the campus. From there he was placed into other Departments. However, he struggled at all the positions he attempted and was moved again. He has only been with Natsumi for a few days but has done well so far. He managed to catch her a few times before she completely fell. She was grateful for that.

When Natsumi and him talk about the reasons he felt he did not perform well at the other Departments he does not have much to say. The only possibility he believes is that he is not cut out for construction or farming. When Natsumi asked him why he felt that he locked up. She was not too sure why he kept quiet but she did not press the matter. She wished to help him find his path inside the Apostles.

Natsumi responded back to his question, "What is it Klein?".

"I was going to ask if I could use that pen for a second" He said pointing to the pen with a small smile.

Natsumi flushed with embarrassment. She turned around and bent down. Despite being in a tight black business skirt she managed to retrieve the pen. She stood up and turned around.

"Here you go Klien." She said and handed him the pen.

"Thanks Ms. Ano!" He said and accepted the pen. He turned around and went back into the Equipment Room.

Natsumi sighed.

'This is going to be a long shift' as she dazed into her thoughts.

Natsumi was a graduate student working at the Department of Financial Aide before the outbreak. She only started her afternoon shift when she heard the terrifying news from her colleagues. She followed her friends out of the building and observed the campus. Groups of students were running everywhere in all directions. Most were obviously panicked, but among the faces she noticed a few others had a determined expression. These students moved in more organized groups around the campus.

Natsumi spent a few minutes trying to identify a source that sparked their confidence. That's when she located the group of students in middle of the street. The students on the side were raising their hands, nodding, and then taking off together in a specific direction. Natsumi knew this must be an organized effort and ran over to them. The task proved difficult in her heels, and she decided to abandon them.

On her way a group of students split off and were coming towards her. She waved to them trying to get their attention. The group slowed to a light jog and she was forced to run along with them.

'Where are you guys going?" Natsumi asked.

The man who was leading the group of students took a quick look over her. He noticed her white dress shirt and skirt. A tattoo of a rose on her right calf. He assumed she was a faculty member working inside one of the offices.

"We are going to blockade the campus. Want to help?" He asked, his words were direct.

"Sure, but how do we blockade the campus?" She asked.

This caused the man to smile slightly as he asked his next question, "Miss, do you drive a hummer or a Cadillac?"

"I drive a SUV." She replied, confused why he would ask such a trivial question.

The man then smiled brightly, "Good, we are going to need it." And he charged forward towards the parking garages.

She followed after him with the group, still confused as to what they were trying to accomplish. The role she managed to play was a big achievement in her life. She felt great knowing she made a difference that day.

Klein's footsteps disrupted her thoughts.

"Here, I am done with your pen." He said handing her the pen.

She took it back from him and said, "Thank you."

He nodded and went back to the room. Natsumi turned back around and faced the courts resting her elbows on the desk and supporting her head with her hand.

'I wish more people needed help.' She thought.

Some people did need help. As the Apostles would come to learn later that basketball games and peace was just a mirage.

**Outside in the Training Field**

From a concealed prone position a set of keen, dark green eyes scanned the area ahead. His breath was controlled as he continued to scan the area in front of him. A mock fort was fifty or so yards ahead. There was a open door facing his squad's position. The building continued to stretch upwards. He estimated there was two or three floors. A few open spaces cut into the fortification above the door seemed to agree with his theory.

Two mock insurgents were posted by the doors. Another on the roof patrolled around providing three-hundred and sixty degree security.

He glanced back and motioned to the next member of his squad to join him at his side. His gaze was met by a set of bright amber eyes. They had a almost childlike nature about them with a hint of mischief. Or was it determination? She gave a quick nod.

She immediately sent the signal back to the next squad member and started to crawl towards him while maintaining a low position. Shortly afterwards an entire line of camouflage was in position ready to start their operation. The man who gave the signal looked down his line on both sides to ensure he had everyone.

He signaled for the right side to flank. Their movements were hidden by a thin tree line surrounded in shrubs. As he watched them move his attention was caught by the young teen with the amber eyes. As he saw her move he realized she was only about five-foot-three. She maneuvered swiftly behind the shrubs, making sure she was hidden from view.

Yuuki reached up and readjusted her pins that held her ponytail back on her right side. Her left side is free, falling across her face. After she finished her readjustments she took position behind the shrub with her fire team (There is two fire teams predetermined for every squad) and awaited further orders. The fire team leader, a man named Kalvin, studied the area with as much focus as the squad leader did before.

After a few minutes they conducted their attack. Since this was a training exercise with actual people they did not use firearms. The particular training course they were used throwing sticks instead. The concept was if you could hit them with the stick, then you could hit them with a projectile fired from a firearm. Most did not understand the connection but it was all they had available.

The fire team closed in on the enemy. Because their sight was blocked they communicated with the other fire team that kept its position where it could oversee the area clearly. Once the advancing fire team was close enough the squad leader prepared to signal the launch the attack. He looked at the insurgent on the roof and waited for him to inspect the other side. When he turned away the squad leader gave the signal.

The bush erupted with the entrenched fire team leaping into action. Yuuki was able to move her light 115 lbs frame quicker than the others. However, she came out of the brush facing away from the enemies. Realizing her mistake she quickly spun on her heel and faced the two insurgents. Before the insurgents could react she already hit the one on the left square in the chest. He fell over and acted dead for the simulation. The other one was quickly taken out before he could alarm the insurgent on the roof.

Seeing the two guards successfully neutralized, Brandon Rodak ordered an advance to his team. Together they crossed the open plain, something Brandon always was nervous about doing, and reached the other team by the door. Before they arrived the other team cleared the room and moved the bodies out of sight.

'Everything is going along as we planned' Brandon thought. A small smile appeared on his face.

So far the simulation was going well. All they needed to do now was clear the room and neutralize the insurgent on the roof.

Yuuki approached Brandon and she noticed his fair complexion and light brown buzz cut, causing her to picture an image of her friend. She quickly pushed those thoughts out her head and spoke, "Floor is cleared" She whispered carefully.

"That's good, but next time just use a hand signal to tell me." He said sternly, not meaning to be rude.

Yuuki nodded her head. She realized now when she was standing close that she had to look up a few inches to make contact with his dark green eyes. She guessed he was about five foot ten. They both broke eye contact and swiftly moved over the wall where a staircase led upstairs. After forming up they moved quietly up the stairs.

Nothing awaited them on the second floor. The entire room was barren except for a ladder that led to the roof. Brandon halted his squad and observed the squad closely.

'Only one of us will be able to get up there and neutralize that last guard because of the ladder. If I send three or even two people I would trap the first person on the roof with the enemy. If things were to get hairy they could become a causality without an escape route.'

He continued to observe the squad members trying to decide who would be the best option to send up. They were too close to risk talking openly when a enemy was above them. As he was glancing around he spotted the girl he talked to on the lower floor.

Her soft and roundish features made him question if she really was a teenager. She almost appeared like a child. She was noticeably young.

'I wonder why someone being so young like her would sign up for this course.' He pondered. He made a note to ask her after the mission.

He observed the rest of her. Despite her size she had long legs. He now understood why she was nimble and quick.

He recalled seeing her movements against the guards and knew she could handle the task. She was there best option. He pointed at her and then to the ladder. She followed his gesture and understood. At this point everyone knew this was going to be the final push to complete the operation. The other squad members flashed Yuuki thumbs up as she departed heading for the ladder.

'I will not let you guys down' Yuuki thought to herself. Remembering everyone's gesture she felt determined.

She reached the ladder and examined the opening in the ceiling. She caught a glimpse of the guard walking past continuing his patrol.

'Time to strike!' She fired herself up the ladder, climbing like a monkey while remaining silent. At the top she poked her head out scanning the roof. The guard already made his way out of her range for her stick. The average person could make the throw probably but Yuuki knew herself and her limits.

She stepped onto the roof and equipped her last stick into her right hand. She crouched into a squat position and started swiftly crossing the rooftop. She quickly entered her stick range and took aim at her target. She volleyed the stick and made her shot, striking the man into the waist area. The man turned surprised, then laughed and played dead.

"I did it!" Yukki exclaimed.

Her other squad mates joined her on the roof. A male Apostle ran up to her and went to hug her. He was stopped by Yuuki who had her arm stretched out, her hand was on his chest.

"I will not let you pick me up and twirl me around!" She stated feisty.

The male Apostle was embarrassed, turning bright red.

"I swear I wasn't going to do that. I was just going to hug you because you completed the mission for us." He replied honestly scratching his head.

Yuuki wasn't completely convinced and squinted her eyes at him.

"I am sorry I made you feel uncomfortable." He lowered his head to show his respect.

Yuuki considered she may have gotten the right idea. Wanting to make amends she removed her hand from his chest and held it in front of him. The man pondered then realized the gesture she was demonstrating. A smile took over his face as he gave her a high five. Yuuki smiled back earnestly.

The group was then joined by the three guards they attacked during the simulation. They went over the exercise and asked a few questions to the group.

"What do you guys do if you come across any survivors during a expedition?" A guard asked.

"Ask them to stop and state their names then proceed to ask basic questions like a detective would." A Apostle spoke.

"Good, you got the right idea. What else should you be looking for while you question them?" The same guard asked.

"If they possess any weapons and any other markings or tattoos that affiliate them with a clan." Brandon spoke.

"Excellent. Always be aware of everything that is around you." The guard finalized.

"So did we all pass?" Yuuki asked anxiously awaiting the results.

All three guards smiled and nodded. A collective cheer came from the squad and a few high fives were exchanged. Afterwards everyone was dismissed.

Yuuki started for the ladder following everyone else when Brandon appeared at her side. Instinctively she backed away a couple steps. Brandon's eyes widened slightly and a apologetic expression came across his face.

He held up his hands and said, "I'm sorry, didn't mean to startle you." He said apolitically.

"What do you want?" Yuuki asked questioningly. His sudden appearance had her on edge slightly.

"My name is Brandon Rodack. I am training to be a squad leader for the Defense Department. I was wondering who you are." He stated.

Yuuki was still a little on guard but did not feel threatened by him. His words were soft and innocent sounding.

"My name is Yuuki Tachibana." She replied.

"Yuuki huh? Well you were great today. Good job engaging those guards."

Yuuki felt a little embarrassed. She now knew he had no inappropriate intentions at this point. She relaxed herself.

"You seem very determined Yuuki. I was wondering how old are you?" Brandon asked inquisitively.

"You know its rude to ask a lady her age." She shot back.

"I was just curious, you seem really young. I was wondering why you would participate in this course being this young. That's all." Brandon replied honestly.

Yuuki lowered her head while tilting to the right. Her hair covered the pained expression she wore as she spoke hesitantly.

"I am searching for someone...someone that is important to me." She then rushed past Brandon, leaving him alone on the roof.

"Perhaps I offended her?" Brandon pondered out loud to himself. He felt a little bit of guilt and hoped she would forgive them next time they met each other.

'Looking for someone eh?' Brandon pondered one last time before leaving the roof.

* * *

What a chapter! My goodness this chapter feels like a masterpiece. I do not mean I believe it to be flawless or perfect. I am referring to the amount of time and detail I placed into this chapter. I think I am beginning to understand why patience is important when writing chapters though after this one. I orginailly finished at 7193 words and ended up with 9351 after the editing, re-editing, and re-re-editing.

And all the dialogues! Coming off that last chapter I knew I needed to step it up with this one. I feel good about this chapter. I put a lot of effort and time into the characters, trying to make sure they are portrayed correctly.

I just want to say thank you for everyone who reviewed my last chapter. The support and feedback is welcomed greatly! Special thanks to 666funtimes and Lazersword88 with your very helpful constructive feedback. I hope I addressed those issues you both found in the last chapter with this one.

As I said before the chapter OC submissions will be open for one week. At 12 AM on 2/22/2015 I will stop accepting OCs. During that entire week I will not be updating this story because of the characters that will be added to the clans. New characters to the Apostles and Marauders will just be added in. They will not receive a "debut" chapter for themselves. No offense to the superstar OCs that will be submitted by you guys ;)

The limit is still two submissions per person. So those who would like to submit another character are welcome to! If you already have two submitted I am sorry :P

**Also, I am now trying my hand at a community. Check it out!**

**Once again please review, follow, or PM me with thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns! Thanks guys for reading! :)**


	4. Founders Debut

Okay I was in the middle of writing and came across this awesome word in my research. It has inspired me to host a new event that will occur in every chapter going forward. It will be the RottoVoce's Word of the Chapter! Silly right? xD I figure it will be a fun thing to do as well as introduce a new word in your vocabulary dear reader! Along with the word I will give its description as I find on the online dictionary website. Without further ado, below is the first entry!

RottoVoce's Word of the Chapter:

**Omnipresent**-Present everywhere at the same time

This word is my chapter's pick this entry because as soon as I looked up "everywhere" in the thesaurus, I was captivated by this word. It truly is an awesome word that is complex and simple at the same time.

* * *

Hey guys! First of all thank you for checking out my latest chapter! In this chapter we are shaking things up again. I have looked at all the reviews from the last update and talked with you guys individually. Thank you for the continuous constructive criticism!

A big applause goes to 666funtimes and lazersword88, thank you so much for working with me on developing my skills. Working with you as been a pleasure and I appreciate everything you do for me. Hopefully this chapter displays some progress that I have made.

**-I would appreciate if everyone would review this story and share their thoughts, even if it's brief. Especially those who submitted OCs, It helps me not only become better but also to know how you guys feel-**

One quick note: otakuzombie, creator of Kimi from the Marauders, has started her own SYOC story. Be sure to check it out and submit an OC for her. Like me, it's her first SYOC story and she has a cool concept! I appreciate you checking her out!

So the full list of characters is finally out! What a cast, I never thought I would be given a full roster of All-Stars on my first SYOC :P And yes I did say first! In the near future I plan on sharing a new SYOC I have in the works. I want to first make sure it is original idea and not a "copycat". Hopefully some of you will join me for that tale as well. It's a way down the road however :p

* * *

**NOTE**: Chapter 1 has been re-written by yours truly. I only changed the major issues people found with it. It's not a masterpiece yet. I felt I should fix it before I continue the story any further however. So check it out!

**NOTE**: With the Founders I introduce a lot of symbolism (Yes I know it's a fanfic, and this is my fanfic style that I like to write) about the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, as well as general symbolism I have in mind. Corny? Maybe, but I don't plan on basing OCs as any of the knights or King Arthur himself. The symbolism is a deeper way to connect you to the Founders as readers. If you are not familiar with the legend I encourage you to briefly read about it. It is not required to understand this chapter, but it may make your experience more enjoyable.

**NOTE**: When talking about the Strip in the Farmer's Market part, I am not sure if that is why people call certain main streets "Strips", but that was my analysis of it. So please do not hate me if it is completely wrong xD

* * *

**Intro**

In the Eastern District the sun was rising up for the first time at dawn. It broke over the rusting ruins, casting its morning glory across the streets. The warmth of the sun signaled that it was another victory for humanity. Another day where there was hope; Hope for humanity to walk a new path that differed from the past transgressions and instead led to a bright future. It was the belief of everyone living inside the Eastern District that Tokyo was the new Garden of Eden.

Just as the Japanese revered the sun's rising in the east as a victory, the Founders also shared this belief. They wished humanity could prosper and rise through the ashes and reclaim what was lost to the undead legion. They strive every day to set the next brick firmly inside the foundation that would become the vessel of humanity. Together they found each other amongst the ruins of their own. It was together they decided to rebuild the ideal society that would host the new race of humanity. This is their story before the war; not the old war against the zombies, but the war that was about to break out amongst different groups. It was the Founder's belief that the sun would rise again in favor of the East, of them, just as it has done every day on Earth.

* * *

The business district of Tokyo was a budding flower before the outbreak. It flourished as entrepreneurs and business firms claimed their stakes inside the competitive world. Only the sharp, cunning, and most aspiring businessmen and women found success inside the highly competitive world. Many had their dreams shattered by simple mistakes on their resumes, others because of the name on their degree, and even what their surname was in some cases. It was a cut-throat business that only the strongest could survive.

The Founders are composed of these very people who survived the outbreak. They pooled their skill sets together and created a new society using the ruins of their predecessors. With their vast knowledge of carpentry and metal working they built an extending wall around their territory. With their shrewd business knowledge and dealings they constructed trade agreements with other survivors. They planned on expanding these agreements to the other clans in Tokyo. However, they lacked one crucial aspect, security.

The Founders were in dismay in the early months after the outbreak. They could not agree with each other on a leader, and argued constantly which consequently halted their progress. It was not until a certain group led by a remarkable man arrived that the Founders found structure. (Natural occurring puns xD) The man guided the Founders as they matured into an organized society with designated roles and a united ideal: To restore humanity.

Before he arrived the Founders were hindered from various sources. Notably the zombies' presence which was very prominent in the early months of the outbreak. Another source that created issues in productivity was the fact there was no authority that ruled their impromptu society. People would work one day then quit the next day, some would promise to show up but never come, and others slacked when they were working. The entire operation was a disaster and slowed the wall's construction.

Consequently the nights became hazardous, without walls to keep out the undead many of the Founders were being attacked during the night. To escape this threat many reclaimed the abandoned buildings around them and operated them as a safe haven. The attacks also inspired the Founders to band together and build the walls. Together they would build the initial four-hundred acre wall that spanned around the business district in a circular fashion. They converted alley ways into shortcuts, and designed checkpoints on the major streets. They harvested salvaged materials of various elements to complete the walls.

The walls were like fences that stood about eight feet tall, creating a barrier between the savage zombies and humanity. Mostly cars and pieces of chain-link fencing were used for the walls. However, the Founders never turned down anything that could further reinforce the fence. The finished project was a bizarre abstract painting that was inspired by the survivors of an Armageddon. After the wall was completed survivors started to conduct patrols nightly. Without any true leadership they volunteered for this job to ensure the security of the community. A cry for order started echoing from the masses.

Inside the district various businesses and shops plotted the area. These buildings were reclaimed from the dead by the Founders and renovated to serve their needs. There are other buildings that exist inside the district which were constructed by the craftsman of the Founders. To build these new buildings the Founders had to salvage metals and other materials in order to construct these buildings.

There was a specific intersection that was known for its lively atmosphere before the this intersection traffic would always be bustling day and night. Vehicles puttered as they waited for the sea of people to cross the crosswalks. An enticing aroma of food mixed with the stench of exhaust flowed freely through the air seducing every empty stomach. This intersection was the heart of the business district. Lavish companies stationed their shops along its veins, luring customers in from all angles. Shining lights lined up on both sides of every vein that sprouted from this intersection-the heart.

After the outbreak the Founders built a building that stood over fifteen feet tall and expanded about half the intersection. It sits in the center of the intersection, guarded by a chain-link fence that surrounds the building with a ten foot gap in between the fence and building. The only entrance is in front of the building where two guards stand. It was constructed using bricks, and is the only reclaimed building made of bricks.

The reason for using bricks was to portray a symbol. The architects felt that bricks represented the foundation for humanity. They salvaged materials from the other buildings and crafted the structure that is known as the Town Square. The project took a month before it was completed. Many volunteers offered their assistance and helped the workers in any way they could during the period the building was being constructed. Usually they just ran errands, grabbed water, or delivered messages for the workers.

Inside the building an open space conquers everything under the roof. A few support beams stretch into the ceiling in strategic locations to support the weight of the ceiling. The walls reek of mortar, and the smell lingers in the enclosed space. The bricks have a stale chill that they instill inside the building. If one were alone without the body heat of at least twenty others, the individual would feel unpleasantly chilly.

A single table sits alone by the back of the room. It is rectangle in shape and stretches along the open space awaiting the leaders to converge and fill its vacancy. This table would be replaced a couple months after the building was constructed by the symbolic "Round Table". The Round Table would become the symbol of the Founders and pays tribute to the legendary King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

It was utter chaos before order was established by the Round Table. It was founded when the prominent leaders of the Founders came together to discuss their issues. As they were arguing amongst each other trying to reach an agreement a foreign group walked into the building. They were few in number but had a terrifying presence of authority that enveloped the air around them as they walked confidently towards the table. They stopped ten feet short of the table, shifting their eyes around the area. A man with sleeked brown hair and shaven sides handed off his rifle to a shorter woman before stepping forward in front of the Founders.

"My name is Eric Dominic" He stated confidently, his brown eyes shining.

The squabbling leaders halted their arguments and studied the newcomers closely. Sets of peering eyes danced over the group, curiosity awakening a beast. An older man named Hargo closely noted the attire serviced by the group. They were all dressed in blue BDU (Battle Dressed Uniforms) and carried weapons of varying caliber from handguns to rifles. It was clear to Hargo and the rest of the leaders that these individuals were highly trained and not an average group of survivors.

Hargo paid close attention to Eric as he glanced over him. Eric was dressed in a full set of dark blue BDU with an urban camouflage pattern. His pants were tucked into black combat boots with dusty smudges from the city's ash. On his knees and elbows he had black pads strapped on tightly. Hargo estimated Eric weighed around two-hundred pounds aside from his gear given his size and height. Hargo was starting to feel intimidated by the man standing in front of them.

What Hargo was most intimidated by was the harness that Eric had fitted to his form. It was a black harness with multiple magazine pouches that were filled with magazines. Strapped to his harness was other pouches that served as tactical pouches. A black flashlight was equipped on the harness over the pectoral area of Eric, laying vertically. Hargo observed there was a blade handle protruding from behind Eric, insinuating that Eric had a blade strapped horizontally on the backside of the harness. An antenna stuck out over his left shoulder.

Apparently the other Founders felt endangered by Eric as a fellow friend of Hargo moved for his weapon. Eric quickly reached for his black M29F handgun that had a silver-toned chrome enhancement attached to his thigh. Reaching into the holster he was able to draw his pistol quickly and aimed for the Founder. Hargo quickly stepped between the two and stretched his hands out.

"Stop!" He commanded.

Eric kept his aim trained on Hargo while replying, "Have your friend lower his weapon. He won't win this fight."

Hargo turned and gave an authoritative nod to his friend. The man clenched his teeth before hesitatingly lowering his handgun. In response Eric lowered his.

"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's talk." Eric said.

Hargo was already curious of Eric and his group so he initiated the conversation.

"My name is Hargo. Who are you and why are you here?" Hargo asked.

"As I said I'm Eric. The rest are what's left of my squad." He replied glanced downwards reminiscing briefly.

"I am sorry for your lost Eric. We have lost our own here as well." Hargo replied respectfully. Murmurs were heard from the crowds of citizens.

"Sounds very recent if I may say." Eric stated perceptually.

"Ah yes…well yesterday we lost contact with a group that went out to scavenge the area for supplies."

"Lost contact? Do you have equipment like radios here?" Eric asked.

"Err..sorry, I guess you could call it missing curfew. They did not come back last night when they were supposed to. Everyone is starting to fear for the worst…" Hargo's eyes shifted downwards. Everyone in the room remained silent for a few minutes.

"Why don't you guys send out a search party for them?"

"We would but they have all the weapons we possess to protect themselves from those damn biters."

Eric pondered for a few minutes. Then he spoke up and said, "Would you be willing to accept us into your group here if we found them for you?" Eric asked.

"You would do that for us?" Hargo asked surprised.

"If you promise to grant us a spot here with your community." Eric stated.

Hargo glanced backwards towards the other leaders. Most understood his gesture and nodded to him.

"We agree to your terms."

A red-haired man shouted vigorously, "Fuck yea! Let's kill us some undead fleasacks!"

He raised his rifle in the air thrusting it rapidly. Some of the nearby Founders cowered in fear. The leaders shot him a glare. Earning a nudge from his neighbor the red head glanced around and understood the situation. He lowered his weapon and scratched the back of his head as he apologized.

"Control yourself Collins." Eric commanded.

"You got it boss!" He shouted.

"I am not your boss Collins! I am your Captain!" Eric exasperated. He honestly wondered why he still argued with the man.

A shorter woman nodded seriously with no expression on her beautiful face. Her name was Ayame Inoue and she was Eric's right hand. Ayame was the only person Eric wholeheartedly trusted to lead the squad in the event that he could not. She stood beside Collins, petite in comparison to him as she only reached five-foot-five. Like the rest of her group she was dressed in BDUs.

Ayame felt her BDU top slipping down and tightened the sleeves around her waist. When she was tightening her sleeves she made sure to keep her pistol on her right hip hidden from the foreigners around her. She trusted Eric could handle the talk with the elders, but she always preferred to have an advantage. The stuffy air inside the building drenched her gray tank top in sweat as she fanned herself subtly. **  
**

As Eric continued talking to Hargo and the other elders she maintained a watchful eye around her. She never slacked off in her duty and earned a reputation among her peers as a serious and professional solider. Ayame was determined to get everyone through this catastrophe, an ideal borne from her pride being entrusted as a First Lieutenant.

She continued to scan the population with her hawk-like bronze irises, calculating every modest movement she observed. Collins turned and blew harshly on her dirty-blonde hair, causing her wavy strands in the back to flutter momentarily. The rest of her hair remained static due to the black bandanna tied on her head. She turned back to him angrily.

"What the hell Collins? I am attempting to keep us alive while you goof off and act like an idiot. How about you stop screwing around and let me keep us alive?" She snarled quietly, stabbing him with daggers from her eyes.

Collins chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "We could take these guys with our eyes blindfolded Ayame, don't fret over these civilians." Collins joked.

Ayame was going to say something else but held her tongue. She knew her position and had to act accordingly. So she ignored Collins and continued to scan the crowds. After a while Eric finished discussing with Hargo and returned to them.

"Looks like we are doing a search and rescue operation. Apparently there was a small group of about four people that went missing yesterday. They were last seen leaving the gates with a purpose to search the ruins for resources. Apparently they were doing some City spelunking inside the inner city. That's all we got, although Hargo said no one ever wanders more than a few blocks away. This should be rather quick given our skill sets." Eric concluded, informing his squad about everything.

Everyone nodded and left the Town Square. Outside the sun shone overhead basking the community in its glory. Drifting laughter and idle chatter continued to whisper through the intersection. Eric stepped forward and led his team to the gate. At the gate they checked over all their gear and made sure they were prepared. Once everyone was green (Means they are good to go basically) they got into a formation and left the community.

**Three Days Later**

At the table the leaders gathered around and exchanged ideas openly with each other. Everyone present at this table was chosen in an election that occurred just a hour ago. With their election they were sworn to serve the Founders to their utmost ability and wisdom. Now they gathered for the first time as the "Round Table", a term for their new government coined by the man who led the citizens down this path of revolution.

The man introduced himself as Eric Dominic when he arrived for the first time a few days ago. Since his arrival he nurtured the spoiled egg and cared for it more than any other individual inside the community. He taught them order and the principles behind it, as well as security and revamped their current defenses. He was now entrusted with the community's security and has discussed his plans to create a organization that will guard the community and also complete various other militaristic operations. He called it the Sentinel Corps. The revolution of their community was staggering to Hargo as he watched some of the Knights who were bickering amongst each other just three days ago work together with no qualms.

Eric announced to the Round Table his wishes to serve a secondary role as a machinist. He is currently working on restoring power equipment as well as fix electrical sources that have been dormant for roughly two months. His wide array of skills has already became invaluable to the community. Almost everyone praised his talents and leadership openly and loudly in the streets. He was offered a spot on the Round Table three times but turned them all down,claiming it wasn't his gig, and that he wished to focus on security as well as mechanics.

Hargo sat with a tired expression as he listened to the debating "Knights" as they were called. The current topic being discussed was food distribution and who would conduct it.

"Obviously someone who can be trusted by us to not steal any of the food should be considered." A Knight stated.

"Aye, and someone who can also be trusted to not favor any individual as well" Another added.

"You blockheads, the answer is right in front of your faces! It should be us who serve the food to the people. If they see us granting them a chance to fill their stomachs then they will hold us in the highest regards. Our chance to be elected would surely be guaranteed." Knight Hemsworth greedily suggested.

Knight Hemsworth was known to be quite clever and very tactful in debates. It was rumored that he was a very successful businessman who specialized in diplomatic relations between the company he worked for and other companies prior to the outbreak. Some even claim he worked for the most successful company in Tokyo and he was largely credited for their success.

"We should be more focused on the citizens rather than an upcoming election Knight Hemsworth. As long as we fulfill our duties that we swore to none of us should need to worry about being re-elected." Hargo stated.

"Ah yes Knight Hargo you are correct as always." He mocked.

"I never made a claim that I am, Knight Hemsworth. I am simply suggesting what is the best option to go about distributing the food." Hargo countered.

The other Knights grew silent as they observed the two square off. Tensions were running higher as the two continued to debate.

"No, no you are not. You are speaking the words Eric told you to say!" He suddenly shouted, pointing his finger across the table at Hargo.

"What the h-"

"Your a sickly worm Hargo," Knight Hemsworth splattered before continuing, "Merely a puppet dancing in Eric's palm to the beat of _ruin._"

"Seriously Knight Hemsworth what are you even trying to say? That I am an agent of Eric and wish to aide him and his desire to take over the community or something?" Knight Hargo asked mockingly.

Knight Hemsworth sneered, "That is exactly what I am saying. You and Eric cut a deal together before coming to this meeting. You are going to try and push forward every concept Eric's devious mind constructed so he can gain everyone's favor before taking control of their lives."

A few murmurs began around the table as Knights whispered to their neighbors. Hargo could not believe that anyone here would even consider that was Eric's intentions.

"If Eric chose me because I am on the Table to complete this ridiculous task you fathomed, why didn't he just accept the seat that was offered to him _three_ times?" Hargo shot back. His blood was starting to boil.

"That's obvious-To reduce the amount of suspicion he would attract if he was the one sitting where you are."

"Knight Hemsworth you are blabbing utter nonsense. Before Eric came here three days ago everything was in shambles here for everyone, including you."

"Exactly my point! He arrives here three days ago a complete stranger out of the blue...and now look at him! He practically wears a crown around his head as people talk highly of him in the streets. Only three days he arrives and now he has wooed the support of everyone? That is too convenient for me to just simply accept at face value like a fool." Knight Hemsworth confessed, slamming his hands against the table.

"You are just being paranoid Knight Hemsworth." Another Knight chipped in.

"Paranoid? I think not! What about this private military he wants us to approve just so he can run it himself? Obviously if we empower him with a force like that he can easily take over this place!" He exclaimed furiously.

More murmurs arose around the table as the Knights considered his proposal. Hargo was dumbfounded that a few meager words could turn supporters from Eric. It was as if Knight Hemsworth was casting some sort of spell intertwined with his argument and captured the independent thinking capability from everyone around the Table. His slick words were winning people over by betraying their loyalty, and Hargo had to stop him from succeeding.

"Knight Hemsworth I ask you: Who do we credit for bringing order to this community?" Hargo asked.

A snarl formed on Hemsworth's lips, "That would be _your_ precious Eric, Knight Hargo." He spat out with venom.

"No that would be this _community's_ Eric Knight Hemsworth. Eric has already proved himself to be a positive and honest force dedicated to everyone living inside _our_ gates. Without him none of us would be sitting here solving the issues we haven't been able to solve before."

Knight Hargo took a look around before adding, "And I believe some of us here lost sight of that fact." He glanced around and noticed some Knights lower there head. The rest were slowly nodding and reached out to speak to their neighbor. Hargo managed to turn the tide and save everyone from betraying Eric.

"So what are we going to call ourselves?" Knight Lium spoke softly after a few minutes, twirling her thumbs nervously.

Knight Lium was the youngest Knight of the Round Table. She was very soft spoken and acted in the best interests of the collective masses. Her pure heart and honesty won favor over the younger population who managed to just squeeze her into a spot at the Table. Most of the older Knights did not see her as an equal and usually ignored her views when she participated in the discussions.

"We already have a name you blockhead! We are the Knights of the Round Table!" An older Knight mocked.

Knight Lium had a pained expression on her face after hearing the other Knight mock her. She tried to explain, "I know that already. I was just meaning what do we classify ourselves as...?" Her voice trailed off, her confidence dwindled away. Hargo saw drips of sweat rolling down her forehead.

He suspected he knew what she was trying to say and helped her out.

"Like how individuals born in Japan are called Japanese, Knight Lium?" Hargo asked.

A relieved expression popped onto her face as she smiled brightly, "Yes exactly! And here I thought I was the only one who was understanding myself. No scratch that, I was even forgetting what I was trying to say when everyone just blankly stared at me. Oh my what a relief..." She continued on blabbing. However, this blabbing was a positive force that caused Hargo to smile.

"What utter nonsense." Knight Hemsworth stated, rolling his black eyes.

Knight Lium stopped smiling and cast her eyes downward. Knight Hargo glared at Knight Hemsworth from across the table.

"What's nonsense Knight Hemsworth?" Hargo asked.

"The better question is what isn't nonsense Knight Hargo. This young girl and her fleeting ideas are disruptive to this meeting." He finished.

Knight Lium glanced up from her lap towards Knight Hemsworth. In her eyes a silent rage was burning deep in her blue pools. With a new found determination she spoke up for herself.

"On the contrary Knight Hemsworth, the idea I suggested promotes an unified identity among the community." She finished sternly.

Knight Hemsworth opened his mouth but failed to speak. He glared daggers at Knight Lium before snorting and waving his hand dismissively.

"I will admit its a good idea to consider Knight Lium, what name do you suggest?" A Knight on the far side of the Round Table asked.

Lium remained silent for a moment before answering. "How about "The Founders"?" She asked with a steadied voice.

The entire table remained silent as they looked at her. Most were trying to draw the conclusions that she did but failed. Knight Lium saw their perplexed expressions and continued to explain.

"Together we are trying to find the place where humanity will rise again right? We realized together that the only way to take back this world from the dead is to build that place ourselves. We are constructing this foundation ourselves, everyone together as a whole striving for the same goal. Even now you are participating in that effort Knight Hemsworth by sitting at this table with the rest of us, all of us are working together to create that society. To found it ourselves." Knight Lium finished, her body practically buzzing from her nerves.

Slowly a clap began and then a brilliant rush of cheers followed as the Knights enthusiastically displayed their support. Knight Lium flushed a fever-rich red as she sat embarrassed by their enormous effort. Hargo clapped along while smiling at her, thinking about how far she already managed to reach in the progress of one meeting. He had high hopes for her in the future gatherings.

After they concluded their first meeting they made a public announcement outside the Town Square to all the citizens who gathered together. Knight Lium accepted the honor to announce the new identity of the community. After a short speech and the announcement the crowd burst into cheers and started chanting "Founders! Founders!" repeatedly for several minutes. The positive reception left Knight Lium embarrassed and she smiled while waving her hands awkwardly to the crowd. Everyone left the announcement smiling and laughing, a new spirit present inside the community. Only one man did not share their happiness and lingered in the corner grinding his teeth together...

* * *

**Present Time at the Farmer's Market  
**

Along the street that was referred to as the "Strip" the Founders constructed a series of stalls that became known as the Farmer's Market. The Strip was a term used by the citizens of Tokyo before the outbreak. The term was coined due to the businesses of the district present on the Strip. If you took the entire district you could locate one of every kind of shop on the Strip. It was like the district was stripped down of everything that existed inside it to a single street, hence the street was called the Strip.

Among the sea of Founders an average-sized man stood behind his stall with a bored expression on his face. He was currently doodling in his small notepad waiting to attract customers with his displayed wares. He was a carpenter and manga artist by trade before the outbreak. Nowadays he sells items that he crafts inside the marketplace.

He was a rare sight in Japan being mixed Jamaican with Canadian that gave his skin a sepia tone. Many passing the stall regularly stopped and wondered at his complexion trying to figure out his ethnicity. He was used to the onlookers and took no offense from their actions. He just wished they would start wondering at his wares more often than at him. His sign read "Felix's Specialty Wares" on the front of his stall.

He made his living off scavenging and selling items in the market. The Farmer's Market was a project suggested by the Round Table during their second meeting. The vision of the market was a venue promoting the commerce and prosperity of trade inside the community. The Round Table's belief was that trading would promote relations and a sense of community spirit among everyone. Together they felt citizens would scavenge more frequently and find more useful items inside the city, hence make the Founders more powerful. It also provided citizens with a hobby they could spend their time investing in.

Eric Dominic suggested the project to the Round Table. He still was not a official member, however the Round Table recognized his wisdom and respected his thoughts and suggestions to a great degree. He met little opposition from the Round Table as most of the members agreed with his thoughts and also saw the potential of a market. With the Round Table approval the workers ensued constructing the market area and completed the project in a few months' time.

The Round Table decided they would rent out stalls to Founders who were interested in testing the newly devised project. The rental fees included a representative of the Round Table viewing the inventory once a month and picking an item of their choice. The principle behind the selected item being chosen is that the item would benefit the Founders as a whole. That representative would be entrusted to choose something the Round Table could utilize to further the prosperity of the Founders. This was a deal greatly debated by the Round Table members as they feared citizens may feel cheated in some cases.**  
**

The debate reached a conclusion that installed a checks and balances infrastructure to the trading system. If the citizen felt that the selected inventory item was not of value to the prosperity of the Founders he or she had the right to bring the matter personally to the Round Table in the form of a trial arguing their standpoint. That individual would present their case in front of a jury as well as the Round Table. The jury would consist of the citizens and they would ultimately decide on the case to conclude the trial.

With the announcement of the new project the Round Table also included an incentive to promote the Market and attract Founders. They offered no rental fee for the first month when a citizen first rents a stall. The Founders were quickly in an uproar and all the stalls were rented out in the next few days. Hundreds of various stalls were set up displaying a wide array of goods maintained by the renter. The Farmer's Market quickly became the trading hub and a place where Founders frequented every day. Numerous savory incense wandered down the Strip, promising delicious meals for the hungry. Merry laughter could be heard along with the boisterous clamor from citizens bartering away and engaging in small talk with each other.

Today the same merry laughter flows through the air carrying the wealth and pleasure of the Founders. Felix always enjoyed this atmosphere and spent most of his days in the market where he was surrounded by the mercantile aura. Inside this separate realm he continues to find himself wander inside his thoughts.

"I wish they still issued manga…" Felix Read blankly wished as he continued to doodle in his notepad. He was finishing up a drawing of a zombie when someone appeared in front of his stall. Instinctively he raised his head and glanced at the person with his marble shaped green eyes. They were like droplets of emeralds gleaming in the light.

"Hey there friend! My name is Felix, what can I do for ya today?" Felix asked, still appearing bored.

"I am looking for a design to use for a tat I wanna get." He boy stated.

"Ah, well here and take a look at this one friend." Felix said as he picked up a picture of a dragon.

"Looks pretty cool bro."

"This design inspired my tattoo that I got." Felix continued.

He raised up the left sleeve of his dark green V-neck hoodie, exposing a black dragon that wrapped around his shoulder. It extended from his shoulder to elbow in a tribal-like design that was very unique.

"Wow…bro that looks so cool!" The boy exclaimed.

"Haha, well if you are interested we can negotiate something." Felix gave a small smile.

"Well…I don't really have anything." The boy said casting a downward glance.

Felix saw his eyes and felt a memory becoming unsuppressed. A throbbing pulse echoed through his thoughts, unraveling a lost memory. He clenched his forehead in his hand, crying out softly in pain.

"Hey! You okay?!" The boy reached out and grabbed Felix's shoulders.

"Sorry…I am okay. Just a headache." Felix lied.

"Tell you what kid, go ahead and keep that picture. On the house." Felix looked up and smiled.

The boy's face lit up and he excitedly thanked Felix before running off with the paper in his hand. He was skipping and laughing the entire time before disappearing inside a crowd of people walking the market's grounds. Felix continued to smile and went back for his notepad.

'If only I could remember my past...' Felix pondered.

**-Past-**

Felix was found in the ruins of Tokyo by a scavenging group belonging to the Founders. They discovered him trapped inside a car crashed into a pole. At the time of the crash Felix was apparently not wearing his seat belt and had smashed his head onto the steering wheel. He was unconscious with a busted forehead caked in a layer of dried blood.

The group carefully extracted his broken form out of the vehicle and proceeded to looked after him. After a few hours Felix awoke inside a building with several faces peering at him. His memories were scrambled and fragmented causing him to feel alarmed and scared. His mind created a concept that he was kidnapped by the group. He decided to fight the group and try to escape, managing to get to his feet before he was tackled down. Felix fought and squirmed surprising the attacker and rest of the group with his incredible speed and agility despite weighing only roughly one-hundred and seventy pounds.

Felix was able to break free of their attempts to restrain him and ran into the streets. He ran into the street outside stopping short after a few steps, looking around in disbelief he saw the chaos that became of the world. Around him smoldering ruins released the smell of ash and rotting flesh, suffocating him. His eyes watered from the horrid stench as he cupped his mouth with his hands.

Crashed vehicles were scattered across everywhere on the street. Broken forms that once harbored a soul and a breath of life were torn, disposed, and scorned omnipresent. The streets had strewn articles scattered everywhere as if a hurricane came through.

He wandered aimlessly to a broken ballad as he stepped on pieces of broken glass. The loud _crunch _resonated with the ruined city, a song composed by the dead. He continued to ignore the pleas of the group calling out to him, lost in a nightmare conceived by the devil himself. The sky was cast crimson scarlet, the sun dipping behind the horizon. Felix continued to wander and came across a straggler on the street. A chill went down Felix's spine awakening him from his hallucination. Suddenly everything came into a realistic perspective and he stared wide-eyed at the horror approaching him.

She was petite, no more than a child of eight years. Her eyes were expressionless, an eerie sunken orb bobbed inside. Her mouth was fixed into a twisted scorn, suspended in horror. Chunks of her flesh were ripped off her entirely. She continued to limp towards Felix, dragging her toes against the asphalt. Behind her the city burned in the wraith of some divine entity, Devil or God. The crackling flames mocked Felix as he stood lost, abandoned by his sense of reality.

"No…what the hell is this?" Felix stammered as his eyes danced wildly in the flames of humanity.

She approached closer, so close that Felix could hear the scraping sound of her flesh tearing as it was dragged against the road. Her eyes continued to grasp him, piercing his soul. He was utterly terrified and lost himself again in this hellish haze.

He fell to his knees, arms hanging loosely at his sides. He whispered one final prayer to the spirits above and closed his eyes. She was just feet away from him before an animalistic rage exploded inside her. She leaped across the grounds were her teeth ready to sink into his flesh.

"Damn you demon!" A voice raged behind Felix. He immediately opened his eyes and saw a combat knife appear in front of him, impaling into the girl's skull. Felix looked up and saw a face he recognized from the group. The man stared intensely at the girl and raised his foot to her face before pushing her away and pulling back his blade. Her loose form gave way and fell backwards, a brilliant dance of death.

Felix finally found his voice and asked, "Who are you?"

The man turned and observed Felix with his round blue eyes before answering.

"Hargo my boy, a survivor like you." He stated and extended his hand towards Felix.

His words brought life to Felix as he finally awoke from the hellish haze. Felix looked at his hand and accepted his gesture by extending his own hand, grasping it. In unison they shook after Hargo pulled Felix up to his feet.

"How are you feeling son?" Hargo asked.

"My head is pounding but I will be alright. Besides, what are we going to do now?" Felix asked.

"We have a small community that is accepting anyone still breathing. If you want to join us there you can come with us right now. We are going to search the area a little bit longer than head back." Hargo offered.**  
**

Felix did not understand exactly everyone that has transpired but he felt the determination emitting off Hargo and could not help feeling inspired by his words. Felix smiled and stuck out his hand to Hargo. Hargo smiled and shook his hand vigorously.

The rest of the group caught up to the pair and all smiled. Felix instantly felt a sense of security and relaxed a little bit. They all introduced themselves and joked for a little bit. Hargo stepped in and made the decision to head back for the day. Everyone followed his lead and left towards the community. Felix took one last look behind him and glanced at the small girl.

'This is what the world has come to. The set-up is just like one of my mangas, but man I am not feeling this plot that much'

He returned his gaze forward and followed the group back to the community.

**-Present-**

His pain subsided finally as he lowered his hands from his forehead. Felix still could not remember past two years ago. The oldest memory he retained was leaving the hospital after visiting his grandfather who had cancer or something. Even that part of his memory remained hazy. He pushed his pale blonde hair out of his face, checking his pony tail in the back to make sure it was still fixed in position. Once again he continued doodling his sketch of a zombie and became absorbed into his drawing once again. A figure approached his stall.

"Aren't you too old to be drawing those nonsensical pictures?" A familiar voice asked Felix.

Felix knew who it was immediately given the logical tone. He glanced upwards maintaining his bored expression.

"I am only twenty-six which is a very young age Yuuji." Felix retorted.

The man in front of him was dressed in a dark green suit with a red tie, along with an elegant silver Rolex watch. Over the past year his suit has dimmed from the vibrant color it once possessed. Yuuji managed to maintain his business-like appearance after the outbreak somehow.

"Yes we are both young men and that's exaclty why we need to continue to expand our knowledge. Especially you Felix, read a few books instead of drawing those fantasies of yours." Yuuji Okatami said.

"Manga is a book Yuuji." Felix simply stated.

The wind picked up and sent Yuuji's charcoal hair messily around his head. A wild dance played upon his crown as his shaggy locks finally started to settle down once the wind past.

"Damn wind." Yuuji muttered as he tried to fix his hair. His porcelain complexion paled in comparison to his night-lock hair which almost shined as the sun continued to cast down its warmth from the unreachable depths of time and space. Felix pondered this artistic complexity of the sun and again zoned out for a few minutes.

Yuuji saw his blank expression and knew instantly what realm he was in. He sighed and walked towards Felix stopping directly in front of him. Felix continued to look through him and observed the universe in his mindscape.

"Felix." Yuuji said plainly, staring intently with his narrowed blue eyes into Felix's eyes. Felix suddenly returned to his body with a slight jump, maintaining his bored expression.

"Ah! Oh sorry I zoned out again" Felix stated, his face unblinking. Yuuji face palmed internally.

With a sigh he stepped back away from his friend and returned to his usual self.

"Eric asked to go see him today at the shop. He also told me to bring you as well." Yuuji stated.

"It's been a while since I last saw Eric, has something came up?" Felix asked.

"I am not entirely sure. However, my intuition tells me that something major is about to happen." Yuuji confessed.

"That is rarely wrong." Felix commented, turning his head up and squinted at the sky above. "Well I guess we better get going." He finished.

Felix grabbed a tarp and threw it over his stall. Before he left with Yuuji he turned towards the guards and made sure they knew he was leaving so they could keep an eye on his stall for him. After that the two left the marketplace and walked towards the production hub.

**Outside the Greenhouse**

In front of the Greenhouse Ayame Inoue stood monitoring the food distribution. She reached behind her and tapped the Remington 870 tactical shotgun slung over her shoulder, a old habit she picked up in during her service. The cold steel always soothed her nerves. Her observant bronze eyes scanned the area making sure no one tried to sneak off with extra helpings.

Shortly after her squad took residence with the Founders she was appointed to serve as the Food Distributor by the Round Table. As the Food Distributor her role was to monitor the distribution and handle any disputes that may break out. A small group of Sentinel trainees came everyday to help her with the task.

The creation of the Sentinel Corps was approved by the Round Table for Eric. Eric had asked them for permission to start enlisting Founders voluntarily to turn them into soldiers to protect the community. Within a month they had a military force of one-hundred strong and continues to grow every week. Inside the Sentinel Corps there are three different branches of service.

The Gatewatchers serve to guard the gates at all times and allow no unauthorized personnel inside their community. They are the least experienced members who can move up to one of the other branches after they gain the necessarily amount of experience and are improved by the General of the branch. They wear green bands around their right arm as a symbol of their branch.

The Scouts serve as the eye's for the Founders and perform routine patrols scouting the city. These members are the more experienced members. They watch keenly to spot resources and enemies. In the event that they do spot either they send a report back to the Headquarters of the Sentinel Corps. These members also occupy the watchtowers that have been built on the roofs by the outer wall. These towers are occupied every second of the day with guards rotating on a cycle. A red band is worn on their right arm to show their service to the branch.

The Vanguard enlist the most experienced Sentinels and serve to protect the community against all enemies. They act as a security force as well as a mobilized army. These members have trained hard and accumulated a life's worth of experience during their service. They wear a black band on their right arm to show their service with the branch.

Ayame also serves as an instructor at the Sentinel Headquarters and trains newly enlisted Sentinels. She usually brings her students with her when she leaves to distribute food so they can help her. Today she noted that there was more people than usual who came in search of food. A sigh escaped her lips causing one of her trainees to ask her if everything was okay. She waved his concern off and watched him return to aiding an elderly lady with her food.

'At least we can still help out" She thought to herself.

Lately food shortages were on the rise as the Scouts were finding less and less food inside the city. Ayame and Eric both knew that the time would come but neither suspected it would happen so soon. The greenhouse was only constructed less than a month ago, still too early for the first set of crops to be harvested. Ayame feared that something may have to be done in order to provide the citizens their food.

Usually Founders are able to gather their own food and choose to do so freely. However, the older population does not possess the ability to scavenge food and has to rely on the free food that is distributed twice a day at set times. The first distribution happens at nine in the morning, and the second occurs at five in the evening. These two meals consist a cup of water with a meager portion of soup, sometimes its a sandwich depending on the food available. Ayame regrets only being able to give away so little due to the population demanding food during the shortage. And with the shortage expected to worsen, she was not sure if they could provide two meals a day much longer. Her only hope was that the Founders could provide enough food to get the elderly by until the crops could be harvested.

After she handed away the food and everyone was served she dismissed her trainees and ordered them to report at the usual time tomorrow on the training field. Each one of them rendered a proper salute before heading off in their own directions. Ayame glanced back at the Greenhouse which stood about eight feet tall.

Ayame was placed in charge of the worker's security during the period of the Greenhouse's construction. The Greenhouse was constructed with salvaged windows gathered from the city. The builders dug a foot deep trench before setting the first row of windows inside. They attached the windows together by hammering nails through the frames. After they created a foundation they added on to the wall of windows by stacking more windows on top of each other. When they added the fourth row of windows they realized the building would need a support beam. Inside at the center they constructed a support beam that reached about eight feet. Pipes sprouted from the beam to reinforce the windows on every side.

With the structure finally stabilized they added a roof made of windows slanting at an acute angle. These windows were hammered together carefully so all of them would not bend or warp. Inside the Greenhouse they furnished the area with multiple tables that stretched the entire floor surface. Various pots of ranging sizes laid on top of the tables. Inside their clay bodies a seed was burrowed deep in the rich soil, promising a solution to their pressing food shortage crisis.

The Round Table enlisted the help of some farmers who volunteered their service to maintain the crops growing inside the Greenhouse. These volunteers spent several hours everyday at the Greenhouse. They are guarded by a squad of Vanguard Sentinels who also escort them back to their home inside Humanity Tower.

The older Founder population live inside the Humanity Tower. The building was an old headquarters of a prominent company before the outbreak. The tower extends over the entire district reaching twelve floors in total and stretches across one block. The first floor serves as a lobby that has been renovated into a lounge area for the Founders to relax. The other floors have all been renovated to fit the older population somewhat comfortably. Eric managed to reroute the power source from the building to a gas generator enabling the building to have electricity. The elevator became operational again allowing the inhabitants to use it instead of having to rely on climbing the endless staircases.

Ayame commanded the escort team for the elderly farmers and paid visits to them at the tower occasionally. The farmers were pleasant individuals who enjoyed small talk and sharing their life experiences with Ayame. Although her soldiers knew Ayame as a strict and disciplined solider who demanded professionalism above everything else, she was not limited to those traits.

Ayame participated in the conversations both as an attentive listener and shared her own her own experiences. Their conversations with each other formed a relationship between the farmers and Ayame surpassing a professional level. The two parties knew each other exceptionally well and understood one another and the burdens they carry, allowing them to work together much more efficiently.

Today Ayame planned to escort the farmers back herself when her radio emitted a static feedback. She reached on her harness and pressed the button to transmit a message.

"Sorry Command, you were breaking up on my end. Repeat transmission, over." She released the button and listened attentively.

"Lieutenant Inoue, we have a report that a body was found dead inside the Farmer's Market. We request your presence at the scene, over." Command ordered.

"Roger Command, on my way. Lieutenant Inoue out."

Ayame turned her attention towards the escort squad and informed them she would not accompany the escort today. They nodded and left towards the tower without her. Ayame turned towards the direction of the marketplace and proceeded to head there. She reached behind and grasped her Remington 870 tactical shotgun. The cold steel numbed her fingers slightly, but soothed her buzzing nerves. She had a bad feeling creeping on her conscious.

'There hasn't been a murder in over six months so why now? Something isn't adding up here..' She continued to wonder in her thoughts the entire way to the Farmer's Market.

* * *

**The Day Before  
**

Dusk fell over the Founder's community, a sliver of moonlight illuminated the streets. The bustling noises and cheerful chatter turned into silence as the residents returned to their homes. All was still with no signs of life shifting around the grounds.

From an alleyway a dark shadow emerged. He was dressed in a dark cloak with his hood raised over his head, shadowing his features from sight. Clenched in his hands was a stitched satchel. He peered around the corner and scanned the area, checking to see if anyone was still in the marketplace. After a few minutes he departed the alleyway and ducked behind the first set of stalls. Again he spent a few minutes scanning the area before moving to the net stall. He tactically maneuvered through the stalls approaching the main gate. Seeing his goal ahead of him he sneered wickedly under his cloak.

Unknown to him another shadow watched him from the nearby roof. With her five-foot-three figure hidden behind a chimney she continued to monitor the smuggler below her. Her bleak grey eyes tracked his operation across the marketplace. Silently she ran across the rooftop, her black converses barley tapping the surface of the roof. Manipulating her ninety-five pound form with precise calculations she continued to remain completely silent. She took cover behind another chimney and watched as the figure below continued to maneuver through the marketplace.

The cloaked man took cover behind another stall. He was only about one-hundred meters away from the gate now. In front of the gate a handful of Founders walked about carrying firearms. The man's greedy green eyes shined. He loved the thrill he got from smuggling packages out of the different clans. He glanced down at the package he held in his hands, a smile spreading across his face.

'I'm so lucky for the tip that absolute knock-out gave me' He thought.

He recalled earlier today the event that took place when he was scoping out the marketplace in search of his next score. His eyes caught the gem stall and he wandered over there. A shorter girl who he assumed was around the age of fourteen stood checking out the wares when he arrived. She looked at him and smiled, "Aren't these diamonds beautiful?" She happily said, pointing towards the display cabinet.

The man smiled back and said, "Why yes they are and so elegant as well." He noticed she had a pair of diamond earrings along with a diamond necklace adorning her figure. His eyes traveled from the necklace to her B-cup bust, a small perverted smile twitching as he struggled to suppress his hunger.

'God she's cute…but she is just jail bait calling to get me incarnated again' He coached himself and pushed her out of his head. He refocused back on the diamonds at the stand.

He moved to pick one up when the girl grabbed his intended pick and handed it to him. He became confused has he took it from her and looked at her face. Her pale skin was as delicate as the crimson red lipstick she wore. The man gawked slightly.

'This little girl is this beautiful? Man, I want to feel her body up against mine…' His thoughts drifted into a perverted day dream. His lust was running rampant inside his imagination. He pictured what smell radiated from her peach pig tails as he held her against him. The taste of her soft lips when they kissed stimulated his hunger...

"Hey, you know where they keep these diamonds anyways mister?" The girl innocently asked, snapping him out of his predatory dream.

"Uh…no, why do you know where they are kept little missy?" He asked, anticipating a clue for his next score. His eyes shined a greedily evil.

"See that building over there?" She pointed and he followed her gesture and saw the building. He gave a nod.

"Inside there they keep all these diamonds locked up. At night these scary looking men walk around carrying weapons outside the building. I hate when they hide the diamonds." The girl said with a frown.

"Why do you hate it?" The man asked her.

"I just want to see them, I really want to hold them in my palms every day. I hate having to come here and watch them unable to bring them home with me." She childishly said.

A thought came to the man as he sneered a devilish grin. "What if I bring those gems to you tonight by the gate? We can skip this town together and share all these diamonds for the rest of our happy days." He said with a lustful grin.

The girl's face lit up and she said excitedly, "You would do that? You really mean it? You must be my prince who was meant to come here and rescue me from this boring place." A huge childish smile plastered on her face.

"Haha I sure do Sweetie, meet me by the gate at one o 'clock tonight. That sound like a plan to you?" He asked.

She gave a happy nod and stood on the tip of her toes, giving the man a peck on the cheek. She then turned and disappeared in the crowd giggling. The man reached up to his cheek and smiled.

'Nothing could be better than this moment' He thought to himself happily.

**-Back to the Day Before Inside the Marketplace-**

The man glanced back up towards the gate and continued to monitor the guards. Stealing the diamonds was a simple task for him. The guards were so weak he even wondered if they had any security or combat experience. After he killed them he located the diamonds inside a wooden crate and made his escape. Now he was only one-hundred meters away from his new life with his smoking hot girl.

"Man I hope she comes tonight." He said absently as he prepared himself to move again. Suddenly he was smashed into the ground by an overwhelming force. A blade pierced his heart causing him to spit up blood. The man was turned over by his attacker. As he scanned her features his eyes grew wide as he tried to speak.

"Don't worry Sweetie I came tonight" The bleak grey eyes sneered at him. Her hot lips slithered into a satisfied smile.

The man continued to move his lips in an attempt to speak, but only more blood spilled over from his mouth. He began to choke, his body rocking violently. The girl he met earlier that day continued to sneer over him and reached down snatching the satchel. She fumbled with its stitching and opened the top spotting the diamonds. A greedy smile danced across her face.

"Thanks for snatching those diamonds for me. You made my job a lot easier being my scapegoat." She loved how susceptible men were to her. They practically bowed down before her and swear to do anything she tells them to.

The man glared at her as he continued gargling. After a few minutes he stopped moving and his body became limp. The girl sighed, she started to like this guy a little bit. It was fun to toy with him and make him dance in her palm.

"Oh yea my name is Janet by the way. Janet Connelly." She smiled, her words heard of deaf ears.

Janet turned around and headed towards her house on the other side of the community. When she got home she stripped off all her clothes and tossed them lazily around her room. She returned her weapons back to their rightful spots before crashing on her bed. Her thoughts drifted off into a dream.

In her dream she saw her parents holding the whips they used to "discipline" her as they called it. She started to run away from them, sounds of the whip cracking chased after her. The hallway slowly started to narrow around her as she continued to run. Pictures of her and her parents hung on both sides of the walls laughing at her. A flame started to burn on the corner of the frames as she dashed past them.**  
**

Her breathing started to suffer as she huffed with every few steps trying to maintain her speed. The cracking grew louder and she feared they would soon catch her and beat her repeatedly again. Janet lost count how many times they beaten her after she made a mistake while working at the mine.

"Why are you doing this mommy? Daddy?!" She cried out as tears streamed down her face. The laughter grew louder and louder as the single flame spread into a magnificent fire engulfing the entire frame. Janet was surrounded by flames as she continued to run hopelessly. The burning smell of flesh smothered her, a sickly feeling consumed her gut as she continued her fanciful attempt of escape.

Ahead of her she saw the end of the hallway, a brilliant portrait of her parents standing together smiled at her. Her mother was obviously pregnant, and her father had a warm smile on his face. His expression there was one she rarely ever saw on him, in fact she only ever seen it once. As she got closer she saw the flames approach the painting, licking its frame dangerously.

The whip cracked and smacked her ankle, causing Janet to cry out as she fell down. She tenderly grabbed her ankle which was bleeding and glanced up at her parents. She began to feel ill again as she absorbed their disgusting scorched faces. The red skin blistered and was beginning to peel exposing their naked skulls. Chunks of flesh fell off like melted plastic gathering in a pile on the floor. The intoxicating smell of rot was poison to her nostrils, burning the miniscule hairs inside. Janet closed her eyes trying to escape everything, tears streaming down her face. The laughter continued to grow louder until it filled her head completely. She knew the flames were still present as she felt her skin burning. She let out a inaudible cry...

Janet woke up with a start, violently rising up to a sitting position. Her pale skin was drenched in sweat as she tried to control her irregular breathing. Her heart was pounding inside her small frame like a drum. She closed her eyes and calmed herself down.

"It was only a dream, those bastards can't burden me anymore." She coached herself. She glanced outside her window and embraced the morning's glory. Swinging her feet over the bedside she got up and began to dress. She slipped on her yellow sports bra and underwear first. After that she searched around and found a pair of blue navy shorts which she stepped into.

She glanced around her room wondering where she placed her sweat clothes. She decided to try her dresser first. Searching through all the drawers she failed to locate them. Next she tried her wardrobe which stood on the other side of a room. It was built of an enduring mahogany wood that stood around seven feet tall. Inside she found her matching black baggy sweat clothes. Beside them hanging on the inside of the door was her throwing knives collection. She reached out and grabbed a belt of knives and strapped them around her right arm. She gave them a quick check to make sure they wouldn't fall out.

Next she located her metal pole which was beside her Walter PPK handgun. She smiled fondly and grabbed the pole first, fastening in around her left arm. Its retractable capability allowed her to keep it easily concealed under her baggy clothes. After securing her pole she grabbed her Walter PPK along with its holster and attached it to her right hip. She closed the door, with her baggy clothes in hand.

She crossed the room to her nightstand. On top of the table was a pair of gleaming obsidian daggers. The daggers had a shiny onyx coat due to the poison dabbed on the metals. They were her signature weapons she prized above all her other weapons belonging to her arsenal. She carefully picked them up and sheathed them in their special sheaths. Afterwards she strapped them to her left hip.

Janet checked all her equipment one more time before she slipped on her black hoodie and basketball pants, concealing all her weapons effectively. She waltz over to her mirror on the wall and glanced over herself. She smirked and stroke a few erotic poses.

"I'm sexy as always I must say." She giggled as she wondered how many boys would look at her today. "Although a couple girls looking at me would be much better." She smirked some more.

She reached for her black cap on the wall rack and slipped it on. Afterwards she pulled her orange hair through the back into a ponytail. Smacking her lips together a couple times she turned around and headed towards the door grabbing her backpack by the door. She slipped outside and locked her door. The sun was overhead and shining down brightly. On the street Founders were everywhere, most heading towards the marketplace in search of entertainment and fortune.

Today Janet was going somewhere else instead of the marketplace. She stepped onto the street when a cloaked figure stepped in front of her. She stopped and sighed.

"What do they want now Remi?" She asked dismissively.

"Sorry Janet, but the Round Table summoned you again today. You should go there first before you go to the marketplace." Remi informed her. Janet clenched her teeth as she struggled to suppress her displeasure. She hated the "summons" the Round Table always did to her.

"Fucking damn it all to hell! One day is all I ever ask for and they cant even give me that. Every morning I walk out here and find you standing their as my agenda giving me the daily schedule!" Janet exploded, exaggerating purposely.

Remi quickly embraced her trying to smother her flame. She always knew how passionate and talented Janet was and respected her. Janet sneered, she always got what she wanted. All she had to do was act stressed and Remi always tried to console her.

"I'm sorry Remi I yelled at you. I know it's not your fault and you are just following your orders." Janet feigned an apologetic tone.

Remi released her and smiled. "It's okay Janet, I know you deserve a vacation with all your hard work you put in. I gotta go and deliver a few more messages but I will swing by later tonight, okay?" Remi winked and ran off.

Janet watched her and smiled. One day she would get Remi to indulge in a few sins with her, how she longed to tame her soothing spirit that slept within her. After Remi disappeared from sight Janet sighed and turned towards the Town Square. She proceeded to head towards the building and arrived there ten minutes later. The guards standing watch spotted her and allowed her through without a word.

Inside the room the Round Table was in session and discussing what appeared to be something troubling. Surrounding the perimeter of the interior was numerous guards trusted by the Round Table. These guards protected both the Round Table members and their secrets that are discussed during these meetings. Janet headed towards the Round Table at a normal speed, she was quite bored and rather hated being a lap dog for these fools.

Hargo was the first to notice Janet's arrival and stood up from his chair. He greeted Janet respectfully and thanked her for coming here on short notice. Janet already tuned him out and just smiled sweetly. The rest of the Round Table became silent so Hargo could discuss what they needed Janet to do for them.

"Janet we need your skills to locate somebody inside our gates." Hargo stated seriously. His eyes were solemn.

Janet's eyes shined, "So I get another opportunity to help out the Founders?" She smiled sweetly, feigning happiness.

Hargo smiled as well as the entire Round Table. They bought her act and proceeded to tell her all the details. Apparently it was someone from outside their community and has started sabotaging operations the Founders were performing.

"He appears to operate at night judging by the reports we have received."

"This bastard just needs to expose himself once and I will bring him to justice. Don't worry Hargo, I'll catch him for you." And she winked cutley at Hargo causing him to flush with embarrassment before Janet turned around and left the building.

When she escaped from that dreadfully bored place she sighed heavily. The streets were filled with rich aroma carried from the marketplace. The smells entertained Janet and appealed to her sense of luxury. However, she had to refuse the Market's calling today and focus at the task at hand. She smiled evilly as she wondered what this stranger would be like.

"Perhaps she is really cute?" She giggled to herself.

Janet turned to begin her investigation when she bumped in to someone. Instinctively Janet fell to the ground and looked up sweetly towards the person she ran into in an attempt to charm them. An average sized man reaching about five-foot-ten extended a lanky arm down for her. Janet quickly recovered and gingerly laid her hand on his. He gently helped her up to her feet, his green oval eyes devoid of livelihood.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Being side by side Janet had to look up to him when she replied. She noted he must be around five-foot-ten. Her trained eyes quickly calculated the rest of his physique. He had a lankly appearance to the naked eye, however she could see his athletic capabilities hidden inside his muscles. The tone of his lean arms combined with his posture was all the evidence she needed to come to this conclusion.

"Yes I am fine, thank you. You are a lot stronger than you look." Janet said plainly with a simple smile. The man just nodded his head, and started to walk off.

"Hey wait! You can't just turn around to leave and not give a lady your name first!" She called to him.

He turned around and gaze into her gray eyes. "Ah yes, well actually I would prefer not to tell you. Its all just troublesome in the end." And he began to turn again.

Janet was perplexed by his odd statement but did not give up. "What's so troublesome to know the name of someone who helped you? Wouldn't you want the know the name of someone who helped you?" She asked.

He turned and looked at her. For the first time she noticed his face and saw the burdened expression. She sensed it clearly, remembering that one time in her past. His hair fell freely over his forehead and almost his right eye. The dark brown curtain fluttered slightly in the wind. He felt empty...no dislocated. A part of him seemed to weigh untold amounts on his soul. Whatever it was Janet could somewhat sense it, and a cruel idea popped inside her head.

"At least tell me your name for my own sake then." She pleaded flashing puppy eyes.

Mikiel remained silent for a brief minute before giving in. "My name is Mikiel." And with that he turned to leave once again. Janet watched him leave, a devilish grin spreading across her face.

"We will meet again Mikiel." She whispered devilishly.

Mikiel continued down the road leaving that pushy girl behind. He was glad to be distancing himself from her and her questions. He preferred to not be the center of attention, especially when the girl was so cute...He shook his head and cleared his thoughts. The entire time he spent with her he felt a strange uneasy feeling creeping along his spine.

A father carrying his son his on shoulders jogged past Mikiel, both of them laughing hysterically. A small smile found its way on his face as he watched them continue to run freely down the walkway. Suddenly Mikiel felt his depression starting to hit as his mind involuntarily flashed images of his past. In one image he was cowering behind a table trying to hide. He was shivering in fear and looked around for his little sister. The next image a vase flew over his head, shattering against the wall. Glass shards littered the ground around his hands and knees. Inside his mind he heard his father's drunken rage clearly.

"You worthless piece of shit! If it wasn't for you my dear Christina, sweet Christina..." Violent sobs soon followed. The images soon faded away.

Mikiel reached into his splotched woodland camouflaged cargo pants fishing for his medication. Digging around for a few seconds his fingers found the small bottle. Quickly he grasped it and pulled it out, his quick hands already popped the lid and dumped a few small tablets onto his palm. Swiftly he downed the pills dryly, almost choking on the substance. He placed the bottle back inside his cargo pants carefully avoiding the throwing knives he had stashed away.

His depression started to slowly fade away as he practiced some breathing exercises. He silently thanked his medication for its fast-acting capabilities. A cold breeze blew through the street causing Mikiel to shiver. He pulled up his gray fitted v-neck then zipped up his hoodie. The weather has been changing frequently lately on the fly.

Mikiel reached back into his back pocket and pulled out his notepad. Inside his notepad he had various drawings of the human anatomy, botany notes, buildings, and various other notes. Whenever he learns something interesting or of great value he jots it down in this notepad and reviews it later. This notepad was his second most prized possession, next to the crossbow he inherited from his father.

The Stryker Strykezone 350 Crossbow was a top-of-the-line model before the outbreak. Its ferocious penetrative firepower combined with the lightweight frame makes the weapon easy to handle. The crossbow also has a removable rifle scope and an detachable arrow quiver that fits under the bow. Mikiel kept it slung over his right shoulder at all times.

When the negative emotions were completely suppressed he continued to travel down the walkway. His destination today was the Headquarters of the Sentinel Corps. He was going to pay a visit to an old friend whom he owed quite a lot to. After a few minutes he spotted the Headquarters rising over a small renovated shop. On top of the building a blue flag flew freely with the wind. A golden crest was stitched onto the red fabric and was the symbol of Sentinels.

A few minutes later Mikiel was in front of the impressive building admiring its design. The headquarters took over three buildings that were restored to act as its frame. These three buildings were spread out in the shape of a triangle with roughly a quarter of an acre between each other. A towering wall was built between the buildings to enclose the area inside from any disturbance. In the center of the triangle was the practice field were Sentinels trained daily with their instructors and squad members.

The main building acted as the reception building and was filled with various offices for the officers. Eric and Ayames' offices were located inside this building. The farthest left building was the barracks. The entire interior of the building was renovated so all the Sentinels could live there comfortably with their families. The last building on the far right that completes the triangle is largely a mystery. Only rumors are made about what is inside due to the amount of security set in place. The most popular rumor is that the place serves as an armory for the Sentinels.**  
**

Mikiel jotted down a few notes inside his notepad before entering the main building. Inside he faced a desk where a Sentinel sporting a black band greeted him. This man was dressed in a professional suit with a holster strap present in front of his button-up shirt. The man kindly smiled and asked what business Mikiel had with the Sentinels.

"I am here to see Eric Dominic." Mikiel replied.

The man blinked a couple times. Apparently Eric did not have many visitors.

"Yes... just one second. And your name?" He asked while tuning a radio on the desk.

"Mikiel Williams."

The man nodded and asked him to wait patently. After a few moments the man received conformation from the other line and had someone escort Mikiel to Eric's office. Along the way Mikiel carefully noted the structure inside the building. He did not write down his notes immediately, figuring that the Sentinels would not allow him. After navigating a few hallways and staircases the pair stopped in front of a gold door. The guide knocked on the door twice in a gentle manner. Inside a gruff voice called "Come in."

The guide opened the door and led Mikiel inside. Sitting behind a beautifully exquisite black desk was Eric Dominic. His brown eyes danced vividly as he looked upon Mikiel's face.

"Hello old friend, its good to see you again!" He exclaimed.

Mikiel could not help but smile. Eric was his closest friend, and also the closest thing he had to a brother. In response to his greeting Mikiel nodded his head, "Likewise, I am glad to see you in high spirits Eric."

In front of Eric's desk two men sat in comfortable chairs patiently waiting for the two to finish their greetings. Eric seemed to remember and his guest and introduced the pair to Mikiel.

"Ah yes! Allow me to introduce my two colleagues to you Mikiel. The man on the right is Yuuji Okatami."

Yuuji stuck out his right hand to Mikiel and they shook hands. "Well met." Yuuji said, and Mikiel nodded.

Eric continued, "And on the left is Felix Read." Felix smiled warmly and shook Mikiel's hand.

"Nice to meet you Mikiel." He said politely, and Mikiel nodded his head.

"Now please have a seat with us Mikiel. There is an important thing I want to discuss with you three." Eric said.

"Am I correct to assume that's why you asked us three to come here today?" Yuuji asked.

"Yes. It is a matter of great importance that deals with the future of the Founders." Eric stated.

The three men gave Eric their undivided attention and sat patiently waiting for him to start.

"The Round Table has confirmed that an unknown person has entered the community. We do not know much about this person, except that he appears to operate at night and is very dangerous. Since we discovered his presence four days ago five Sentinels have been killed. Clearly he is no amateur and has some experience. We have no idea why he targeted the Sentinels in particular or what his objective is." Eric finished and allowed the others to absorb the load of information.

Yuuji was the first to speak. "So you are asking us to help the Sentinels out with this case correct?" He inquired.

"Yes that is correct. If you wish not to help that is fine, however you can not share this information with anyone else. This matter needs to be contained to prevent a mass panic." Eric stated.

"What do you need me to do?" Felix asked seriously without hesitation.

"Are you saying you want to help us with this case Felix?" Eric asked.

"You bet! This guy is terrorizing our community and killing us, he deserves no sympathy." Felix stated.

"You can count me in too Eric." Mikiel said.

Yuuji glanced between the two and smiled. "I shall lend my talents to your case as well Eric." Yuuji said.

A charismatic smile appeared on Eric's face as he nodded approvingly. "I am glad I can count on all three of you. Your support is a huge relief for the Sentinels. Now here is wait I need from each of you..."

**An Unknown Location**

A figure stood hidden inside a forgotten building observing the marketplace.

'Soon. Very soon.' He thought to himself as a crimson smile crawled onto his face.

* * *

So there you have it! I just realized that this chapter almost extends the length of the adventure so far! I apologize for the wait, been struggling with the order of this chapter as well as introducing the characters. I fear I over think things too much Dx Like when I read a fanfic chapter it seems so simple, but when I go back to write my own it seems like some rocket science formula. Anyways what is going to happen next? Obviously someone is attempting to make a move. Perhaps you can guess who?

Quick note: I tried to create a obvious difference in tone and vocabulary between some characters to illustrate their personalities. I know in the past I have more "stiff" conversations between characters. Personally that is the way I normally talk so its difficult to leave what I know xD I hope I am still making progress _666funtimes_, and not just driving you nuts!

Also some of you may feel that certain OCs get more screen time than others, I am not playing favorites by doing so. There is a method to my madness that I believe will become clear later on. If some of you feel cheated you can PM me and we can discuss things. I will not discard your concerns.


	5. Regals Debut

Hey guys! RottoVoce here kicking off the last of the introductions for the battle royale between the warring factions! I have been overly elated by the amount of support I have received from last chapter :D Even though it was fairly long everyone seemed to enjoy it, and I cannot be happier because of that. Reading through your reviews and talking with some of you has made the time in between the Founders chapter and this one enjoyable.

Big thanks to everyone who reviewed, and will review my chapters along this journey. As I know most of you own your respective stories you can relate to the joy of reading a review and hearing how someone felt. Sure we can always track views (Hopefully by the time this is posted I will hit 1000 views for this story) and rejoice in them, but nothing hits home more than a review on this website in my mind.

Once again thank you Lazzersword88, 666funtimes, and Mookiebear12 for your constructive reviews last chapter. I hope to maintain the areas I improved in, and improve the areas I can further improve in. As I always say(and maybe will stop saying of these chapters) criticism helps me become stronger. I am not prideful in the least sense, and if you really think your advice can help me improve please let me hear it. If you do not want to post it, then just PM me and we can talk.

* * *

RottoVoce's Word of the Chapter:

**Posterior- **further back in position, especially of the body or a part of it.

This word is my chapter's pick this entry because I recently started using it in an anthropology class I am currently taking, and I realized I can use it beyond the constraints of anatomy. I figured I would share my findings with you guys.

* * *

I have posted a poll on my profile regarding this story. The question is for everyone to answer if they choose, not limited to just the OC creators. If the poll is in favor, I will be sending out a PM to all the character creators asking them for some short additional info about their respective OC. Here is the question:

_Would you like to see OC pairings in Warring States?_

You can cast your vote on my profile.

* * *

**OC Characters for this chapter:**

**Shakur and Tsukino Miyori**-_UmbrellaOfficer_

**Thomas Raze_-_**_Lazersword88_

**Klay Issac Ashworth_-_**_ShinBP_

**Carson Peirce_-_**_Nefertam_

**Jaxon Chambers_-_**_AussieKing_

_**Be sure to check these guys out! **_

* * *

NOTE: The church building that I described is based off an actual building I found in the northern district of Tokyo when I was researching. (By researching I mean Google Earth and Street View xD)

**Disclaimer: I certainly do not own the Holy Bible!**

* * *

In the north district an exquisite gated community remained untouched from the disaster that befell the city of Tokyo. The outer realms scorched from fire and chaos keeled before its master. The brilliant golden gates displayed its superiority and mockingly reached out to less fortunate only to pull back its golden touch, and prosperity. It laughed as it remained unfazed from the disasters the outbreak plagued the rest of the city.

Isolated behind their magnificent fences the Regals collectively prayed to their Deity. Every Sunday morning at eight the entire community arrived at the church dressed in their most ornate attire. They proceeded to enter the church in a mass of elegance, each individual holding his nose up as they strolled inside.

The Chapel was massive in size, stretching across two blocks with another block making its width. The walls, once a porcelain-white, were now faded in intensity from the lack of maintenance. They reached up to an apex at the center and molded together, forming a single spire that stretched an additional ten feet. In the center of the spire a bronze bell hung, tied to a rope that disappeared into the main building alone. Every Sunday morning at exactly eight the bell was rung three times.

Below on the streets the crowds entered the chapel through its beautifully exquisite doors. Among the crowd a young man with a self-appointed nobility attitude navigated through the crowd. He completed this task with ease thanks to his towering stature, at six-foot-one he could see over most of the other individuals in the crowd. A arrogant aura surrounded his form as he pushed past people, shoving them aside. Behind his shoulders his long blonde hair flowed behind him as he continued his piercing drive.

After he shoved an older gentleman aside the man turned around and shoved him back. Klay easily maintained his balance and turned around to face the man, his green eyes molded with a slight essence of sharpness that impaled the man.

Klay uttered a question drenched in poison to the now frightened older man, "Did you just touch me with your disgusting hands you peasant?" Twisting his fair complexion as he waited for the man's response. A deadly aura enveloped Klay's slim form, flooding the older man's nerves with fear causing his hairs to rise all over his body.

"Learn to show some respect to your seniors young man." The older man scolded although his voice wavered slightly.

"Some respect? Let me teach you some respect old man, you call me Mr. Ashworth when you speak to me! Heard the name? I bet you have, if your anyone with anything in this society then you know all about that name which I possess!" Klay spewed over the old man.

After he finished his outburst he dusted his shoulder off and scoffed before he turned and headed inside the chapel. Inside the walls Klay heard the familiar sounds of the gospel being throughout the worship room. The harmonic notes danced beautifully around the room enticing a dormant memory inside Klay.

A younger Klay charged through the finish line at his first track meet in junior high. He raised his hands high above his head and cheered proudly as he slowed to a walk and looked around for his parents. Over to his right by the bleachers his parents stood, his mother dressed in a beautiful dress wore a undistinguished expression. His father nodded seriously, then both turned around and headed towards the parking lot. Klay watched in disbelief as they abandoned him during his moment of triumph.

When Klay was being awarded his trophy, the butler of the family clapped politely for the young master than walked him back over to their limousine. Inside the luxury ride his parents sat together, sharing a cigarette. When Klay climbed into the vehicle his father said only one thing, "That result was expected." And said nothing more for the rest of his life. A faint sound of gospel music poured its contents out in the background from the radio..

'Such a disgusting sound, reeks of religious morons who cant determine the difference between a miracle and science' Klay thought as he took a seat on the wooden bench next to a older woman.

The older lady turned to him and smiled, a golden brown row with a handful of pieces missing from the collection gleamed in the pale lighting. Klay cringed slightly and quickly turned his attention to the front of the chapel. Everyone was finding their seats and quickly quieted down so they did not interrupt the service. The bell rung a few times, its powerful brass pieces crashed together to create thunderous cries that signaled the service was about to start.

At the front of the chapel the High Lord stood in front of the Genesis's Altar dressed in his royal black robes. A few crimson stripes ran down his cape, evidence of the fresh blood of a sacrifice. On the top of his head he wore a blackened crown that remained undecorated. It is rumored the helm was molded together by burning pieces of metal salvaged from the outbreak. The superstitious members of the society believe the crown is cursed, haunted by the victims of the crisis. The righteous believed the crown was a gift offered by the Goddess Eris, acknowledging Seijuro Maniki as a prophet who would lead them to a new beginning.

As High Lord, Seijuro "Salvaged-Faith" Maniki ruled over the Regals since their existence. He was granted the title of "Salvaged-Faith" by the other Lords who served under him as advisers. He was highly respected by the majority, but also equally feared by everyone. He was best-known for his unwavering faith and decisive punishment against those who do not share the Regals faith.

* * *

**Before Faith was Discovered**

The faith of the Regals was discovered by the High Lord following the outbreak. Seijuro was enjoying a comfortable life inside his luxurious mansion at the time the outbreak occurred. When he heard the news he quickly gathered up his family and swiftly called for his other neighbors. Every one of these individuals were prominent figures inside the politics, business, and religious fields. Together they quickly reinforced their gated community while calling in connections from other countries and persons they each had business with.

After the first week Seijuro called for all the members of the community together inside his enormous office for a meeting. Once everyone gathered inside he addressed them. Among the crowd Klay's father was present.

"We will carve a new world out of this blessing that the Lord gave us." Seijuro spoke calmly and firmly.

"Blessing?! My kids never came back from school yet, they are probably dead and you call this a blessing?" An angered associate of Klay's father spoke out.

"Yes. Your children were simply not chosen to exist in this new world we have been blessed with, it was the Lord's Will."

"The Lord's Will?! What the fuck is that bullshit?" The man continued angrily.

"This past week I have heard the Lord's voice. He has given me instructions on how to rebuild this world." Seijuro said seriously, his eyes focused.

"There was a moment of silence among the room before another man spoke, "Is this Lord the father of Jesus Christ?" He asked.

Beside Klay's father a man stiffened, a silver cross hung around his neck.

Seijuro glanced around, observing everyone before answering, "No. It is the beautiful Goddess of Chaos, Eris. She is the only true Lord of this realm."

Many in the room shook their heads while others snickered. A few remained completely silent and had no changes in their facial expressions. A group of men collectively approached the desk where Seijuro sat and asked him, "What are her commands?"

After the first meeting the community was transformed. The process took several months, and within that time more and more people converted to the Lord's faith. Initially there was little to no followers of the faith, however Seijuro made several predictions he claimed Eris told him would happen. In the following weeks he announced these predictions, they started to actually happen.

The first prediction was that there would be a great fire. It would engulf a decorated family whole, leaving one scar as a memory. Lacking his influence when he made this prediction and preached it in the streets, his claim was almost forgotten.

Exactly one week later a fire broke out inside the community at the home of Silvester Martinote. Silvester was the community's most dedicated landscaper, owning a profitable business along with a trophy room that held all his numerous awards. Everyone knew of him inside the community. The tragedy of the event was a eerie occurrence that left the Regals mourning over their lost.

There was only one survivor of the fire, Silvester's daughter Mary Martinote. Seijuro's estate took her in and cared for her following the disaster. Around town everyone murmured and debated the strange occurrence. Most found it strikingly disturbing yet almost fascinating that Seijuro's prediction became a reality. However, there were some who also believed he may have caused the fire himself in order to frame the prophecy occurring.

The following days after the fire citizens living in the gated community visited Seijuro's estate searching for answers. Seijuro welcomed all of his visitors into his living room for a drink. Everyone kindly accepted his gracious offer and accompanied him to checking on Mary, where they found her sitting at her desk in the room Seijuro set up for her. She was quiet with silent tears rolling down her face every so often, however all life was not sucked out of her. Every so often she would hum a hymn that barely rose over a whisper.

Her visitors were glad she was making progress through her grief, and marveled at her strength to work through the unimaginable pain of losing your family in a freak accident. They funneled out of the room leaving Mary alone in her bedroom. After they all left she let out a sigh and glanced towards the scorched picture of her parents. The ornate frame was a relic she was able to secure before being rescued from her house during the fire. A tear trickled from her left eye, sliding against a blonde strand of hair that was plastered to her face. The tear drop fell silently into her lap. No one understood what she was going through.

Back in Seijuro's office everyone was gathered around the impressive black desk, giving Seijuro their full attention. They were anticipating something to occur, something that could further prove his prophetic abilities. In the group everyone shared a collective dependency on Seijuro and looked up to him for guidance.

At last he spoke, "Dear friends, I wish to thank you today for visiting me and checking up on Mary. I know she feels comforted that the community is there for her in the time of great grievance." He started. Everyone allowed him to continue without any interruption.

"I must confess, I have been spoken to again by our Lord, the benevolent Goddess Eris." He stated. Not a single person spoke in the following statement.

"And she spoke of a group of savages attacking our community. 'Thou shall be visited by three sick men bearing barbaric weapons and reason'.

"When do you think these three men will attack?" asked one of the members present.

"Whispers tell me it will be in three days time. I ask that we unite and prepare for this coming storm together as one." Seijuro Maniki suggested.

"But how can we? Everyone is thinking for themselves and their families. Rightfully so, however its still not going to help us defend ourselves as a united force." A more level-headed clan head stated wisely.

A few of the group agreed in a collective murmur. Seijuro raised his hand and took control of the group.

"That will no longer be an issue after three days. In the meantime I ask for all you to spread my message to your neighbors and friends. Those of us who unite now will have that upper hand. Those who refuse to place their trust in me and my spiritual abilities will face whatever the merciless Goddess Eris has for them." He stated authoritatively.

The rest of the group discussed quietly to themselves before all agreeing. They bowed politely before exiting. Seijuro returned the gesture as they left the room. Afterwards he sat back down at his desk and formulated a plan for the arrival of the foreign group.

Three days later about seventy percent of the community joined Seijuro Maniki at the gates, hiding behind numerous structures to mask their presence. The others walked around as they did for the past week, silently laughing at the group's absurd behavior. Just then a cry was heard from the main gate. Quickly everyone rushed over there except for Seijuro, who also commanded his group to stay put. His newly elected officers he chose in the past couple days helped enforce his command.

By the main gate fifteen were already dead from the sudden ambush of three foreign attackers. They ran around killing anyone they saw. One carried a giant club, with various sharp objects protruding from it. He swung it around effortlessly, butchering his victims. The second had two knives, one for each hand. He was chasing down running members, digging his blades into their flesh and looting their bodies. The third had a small caliber pistol, preferring to kill his victims up close.

After a few minutes they stopped and regrouped by the main gate. They were discussing something among themselves, perhaps where to loot first. At this time Seijuro ordered his officers to lead the assault. The officers quickly took charge and spread the word down the lines. At the same time the order was working its way to the last man Seijuro already left his hiding place and was charging towards the attackers. His officers quickly followed behind him with the other community members. They all had whatever weapons they gathered , just like the old militias of America.

When they were within thirty meters Seijuro reached over his shoulder and grabbed his hunting rifle, taking a knee. He lined up the scope with the man he saw use the pistol and held his breath. He slowly exhaled and gently squeezed the trigger. A loud bang rang out, and the attacker's head violently shoot backwards. A sickening hole was stamped into his forehead. The other two quickly turned to Seijuro, and saw the rest of the group chasing right behind him.

They turned to run away, but paused when other survivors got between them and the gate. These newcomers were not part of Seijuro's original ranks but joined in to stop the bastards. The two attackers panicked, perhaps if they charged through the gates they may have had a chance. Their hesitation allowed the officers and other community members to overwhelm them, swiftly cutting them down. Seijuro ordered for them to stop their frenzy and keep one alive.

The bigger man was stabbed several times before being decapitated by a man named Thomas, a deranged individual who seemed to enjoy a good fight. The process of decapitating the man took several sawing motions with a machete Thomas acquired. Afterwards Thomas lifted the head above him and laughed a good bit, freaking out most of the community members. However, a perhaps intentional effect occurred on the sole surviving attacker. Who after witnessing Thomas's unsettling behavior quickly confessed to everything Seijuro asked afterwards.

From his confession everyone in the community learned of a community in the business region of Tokyo which was full of survivors. They also heard that there may even be more survivors in the other regions who also formed a community. The news was overwhelming and suddenly everyone felt discouraged about their position.

Frightened murmurs began around the gathered group, raised voices filled with doubts became infectious. It was at this moment that Seijuro reached for his rifle and lifted the barrel to the attacker's skull.

"Our Goddess Eris will see you on the other side worm." He said flatly, and pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out in the sky, silencing the group. Seijuro raised the rifle and began to rally his community.

"Good citizens! Before you would mock me and cast me aside the social ladder when I preached about these tragedies. However, time and time again I proven that I have the ability to speak with our true lord! Those who visited me two days ago can confirm that I predicted this tragedy. I-" He was cut off.

"If you knew why did you not intervene earlier? The others could have survived!" A man shouted desperately.

"I will ask that you refrain from interrupting me. I did not aide the others because they were weak and abandoned their faith in our Goddess. She is merciless, and does not seek to forgive. And that goes for our enemies! As long as we offer our blessings to her she will guide us to a new beginning. We can be the pioneers of a new world!" Seijuro announced confidently, his voice almost seemed to be amplified by some mysterious power.

Or perhaps it was just the silence of the group?

More murmurs ensued, but this privileged class had no other answer to turn to. They were lost, and Seijuro's words offered a helping hand. The population slowly accepted Seijuro's promises. It was true that all his predictions turned into reality, that much was not debatable.

The following months brought great change to the community. They renovated a giant mansion left vacated by the deceased in the trio's attack, working tirelessly to turn it into a worship house for the Goddess Eris. Using the stockpiled resources they gathered by everyone's contacts and pulled strings, the community was able to complete the project with resources to spare. The remaining resources were kept in the storage building guarded by the most trustworthy members of the church.

During this period Seijuro also announced that everyone would be collectively referred to as Regals. He explained this term displayed their magnificence as human beings and capacity to do great things. In his speech he closed by saying. "Every one of us here today is suited to be a King of our own making."

Every week at his estate he met with his Lords who served under him. Together they advised him while he planned the next advances for the community. Every one of the Lords was extremely accomplished and chosen by their Goddess Eris, who spoke to Seijuro about them, allowing them to join the Lords. Seijuro sat at the throne of High Lord, governing over the entire Regal population. His rule was absolute, and no one questioned him.

* * *

**Present Time Inside Chapel**

A few rows behind Klay a small girl sat with her older brother. She was currently sitting with her legs crossed, and enjoying the service. Her brother scanned the rows with his dark blue eyes, making sure no one was taking a pass on her. The nineteen-year-old was protective of his sister, and would not let anyone take advantage of her.

"Shakur stop being so silly!" Tsukino whispered loudly to her older brother. She knew his suspicions and always found them exaggerated.

"I am not being silly, I am being observant." Shakur said proudly, earning a light bump on his head from his sister.

"Hey!" Shakur yelled, slightly too loud. He quickly composed himself and apologized to his neighbors on the bench.

Tsukino giggled softly, flipping her brother's two dark blonde bangs hanging down on his forehead. They completed one cycle before settling back down in their natural place. Luckily she did not mess with the slicked back hair and ruined his "look". Because Tsukino was always able to do enough without going overboard, Shakur usually found himself quickly forgiving her. In fact, he loved his sister very much. Even though she was born to their father's second wife the two never let it affect their relationship. In fact, its debatable that their relationship became stronger because of the second mother.

Shakur is half Russian and half Japanese. His mother came from Russia to Japan before he was born. In Okinawa she met Shakur and Tsukino's father, a upcoming businessman. Together they had Shakur, and afterwards moved to Tokyo. However, when Shakur was three his mother was killed in a car accident.

At the time Shakur was in the car with his mother, and remembered the entire event. His mother was crushed by the engine after taking a direct hit when turning. Shakur remained relatively safe thanks to his booster seat and mother's careful buckling. The last memory of his mother was her happy smile turning towards him, a trail of blood leaking down her mouth. She tried to reach for him but could not wedge her hands free from the engine.

Despite being in a great amount of pain she continued to smile and said, "I love you Shakur, grow up to be a responsible and respectful man."

After that her body slumped over. Shakur cried out to her, begging for her to wake up. But she never did. It was twenty minutes later when emergency personnel rescued him from the car. It took another 15 minutes for them to extract his mother. By that time Shakur's father arrived on the scene and quickly grabbed him in an enormous hug. The two stayed like that for the remaining time it took to load the body on an ambulance.

A couple years after Shakur's mother passed away his father remarried to a Japanese woman. Together they had a girl and named her Tsukino. As Shakur watched her he found himself developing a sense of protection for her. Remembering his mother's words he began to understand what she meant. From that point forward Shakur devoted himself to being the best older brother he could be for Tsukino.

The day the outbreak struck the two were relaxing inside their house watching TV. The channel suddenly changed to the news abruptly and they witnessed the horrific events unfolding in the city. Shakur grabbed the house phone and quickly called his father. Upon answering Shakur exchanged information with his father, who was on his way back home.

When he got home Tsukino ran into his arms, crying violently. Shakur already had his hunting knife sheathed to his belt along with a multi-tool kit he customized. His father quickly ordered them to remain locked in the office along with food and water. He announced he was meeting with the other community members at Seijuro Maniki's Estate.

Shakur gently grabbed his sister's hand and lead her into the kitchen where together they gathered the supplies they may need. Tsukino was still in tears when she said good-bye to her father and watched him leave the house. Afterwards the two siblings went upstairs into the office and Shakur locked the door. Tsukino broke down and melted into her brother's warmth. She began to cry even more violently into his chest, burying her face.

"There there Tsu, everything will be okay. Dad will be back soon so you can stay happy." Shakur continued to soothe her, petting her head while saying reassuring things.

Thirty minutes later she fell asleep, snoring softly. Shakur smiled, and stopped speaking. He allowed his mind to wander, and started to analyze their situation.

'Zombies huh? Who would've guessed they would actually exist outside the realm of Hollywood.' He pondered. Suddenly his last memories of his mother entered his mind scape. Instinctively he clutched his sister tighter, pulling her closer to him.

"I swear I will protect you Tsu." He said softly.

After a couple hours he heard the door open downstairs and his father calling for them. He gently woke Tsukino and the two ran down the stairs. Tsukino jumped into her father's arms while Shakur proceeded to ask him what happened.

"Mr. Maniki has rallied everyone together. I want you guys to see if there is anything you can do to help the others outside. I need to do some things before joining them." And with that he hurried up the stairs, presumably to his office.

Shakur was about to ask him about Tsukino's mother, but allowed himself to let the question go for the time being. He turned around and guided Tsukino outside the house where they joined in with the effort to reinforce the gates.

After that day life went on for the trio. Their father became one of the Lords and was placed in charge of Foreign Relations due to his prestigious position as a Head Public Relations Officer for Japan's number one manufacturing company before the outbreak. They remained living out of their family house while Lord Miyori commuted to his office. He sometimes stayed the night there when working late.

Everyday Shakur would sneak out by himself and try to explore the grounds. He loved to discover new little nooks and crannies hidden away in the other wings. He also never told his sister, and planned to keep it that way. He did not want to bring her into any trouble.

During the day he volunteered to go on supply runs when needed. Outside of Sundays he wore his "Gothic" outfit as some of the local snobs called it. He had a black tank top underneath his faded black dress shirt that remained unbuttoned. Black pants were held up by a thick metal chain that wrapped around his waist, a sturdy hook linked the ends together. A pair of blackened sneakers with three white stripes completed his "Gothic" style.

In addition to his outfit he also had a sheathed hunting blade that was medium length strapped behind his back on his waist. On his hip he had a multipurpose tool he found on one of his adventures, as well as a can of red spray paint. These items were tucked away under his dress shirt, just in case someone suspected him of something.

Sadly he was stuck inside the chapel, and continued to keep on watch for his sister's "apparent" stalkers. Next to him a familiar soft voice whispered, "Just enjoy the service young master."

Shakur turned to his father's friend and co-worker, shooting a glare. "Carson you know I hate these religious things." He mocked.

Carson Peirce could only smile and face forward again. Social interactions were not his favorite engagement to practice, and even less so when the situation was awkward. He fixed his collar on his solid blue dress shirt to reassure himself that he was not being awkward to those around him. He also adjusted his black tie afterwards. He glanced down to ensure his beige slacks were not stained from his morning meal. He followed through with the rest of his "Awkward Relief Protocol" as he dubbed for himself.

Carson was a eighteen-year-old teenager standing at five-foot-ten. He had an oval shaped face, with a pair of teardrop shaped blue eyes mixed with gold flecks. A strong jawline was etched into his face, just below the high cheekbones that gave his face depth. Cupid blessed Carson's lips with the shape of his bow, completing the distinguishing features. On top of his head a smock of wavy brunette hair covered his scalp.

Carson Peirce was Lord Miyori's apprentice, personally chosen by the Lord to work directly under him. He also served as a kind of babysitter for Shakur and Tsukino, although they were far from needing one. Still, everyday Carson would arrive at the estate with his equipment and meet with Lord Miyori inside his office. During the day they spent time creating theories and different strategies for making relations with the different groups for after locating them.

Currently they only had one solid lead given by one survivor from a band that tried to raid the community several months ago. The Crusaders sent out their scouts in the direction of the business district, hoping to find answers. When they returned the Crusaders would meet with Lord Miyori and give him the report, usually Carson was not present for these meetings due to the secrecy of the information. The High Lord wanted to ensure that they controlled the amount of information they released to the general public, as per the Goddess Eris's instructions.

Carson was fair past simply against this Goddess and her image Seijuro Maniki fabricated. He always was, and is still a devout Lutheran Christian. Every night he would uncover his stashed Holy Bible given to him by his Father and read the pages. His favorite text that he discovered after the outbreak was Psalm 23:

_A Psalm of David_

The Lord _is_ my shepherd; I shall not want.  
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  
he leadeth me beside the still waters.  
He restoreth my soul:  
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,  
I will fear no evil: for thou _art_ with me;  
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

(Authorized King Jame's Version, reproduced by Cambridge University Press)

In these words Carson found some answers to his fear. He knew eventually in this world he would have to face this fear if he ever wanted to survive. So forth, he continued to live his life studying the holy text and learning from it. Somehow he would outcast the self-acclaimed High Lord from his faulted throne and restore the faith in the hearts of the people. They are not Regals to Carson, but the children of God. His God.

* * *

**Present Time Inside Chapel**

On the other side of the worship room a man was trying to suppress the nonsense from entering his head. His crystal blue eyes were hidden behind his closed eyelids, trying to feign a prayer. His only focus was keeping his head clear so he could continue to suppress the bullshit "message" being delivered from the High Lord. However, this proved to be a trial as his adjacent neighbors started to pray audibly, disrupting his concentration.

The High Lord finished leading the prayer, and asked everyone to raise their heads. Lifting his head and opening his eyelids, Jaxon Chambers trained his eyesight on the alter. His long black hair was tied in a ponytail that fell below his neck. The twenty-five year old man possessed a warm and pleasant expression that appealed to some of the Regal bachelorettes, often causing them to glance at him periodically. A soul patch decorated his chin.

Jaxon particularly hated Sundays. Due to the heavily enforced policy of having to wear formal wear to the house of worship, Jaxon was trapped inside a causal suit complete with sand-sprayed trousers and black loafers. He would much rather be outfitted in his usual brown coat over a black tank top completed with a black cargo shorts and his old worn black and green cross-trainers. Never missing from any of his outfits if he can help it, is his utility belt complete with his arsenal of weapons and tools.

He continued to go along with the rest of the service, following the motions of the ritual he continued to ignore the nonsense he knew the High Lord was preaching. What he did not know was that he was being watched very closely during this time by a set of soulless grey eyes along the west wall.

Music suddenly arose, resonating off the chapel's walls and dancing vividly with the Regals. Some people stood up and danced while singing to the gospel music, even slicing their hands and offering their blood to the Goddess Eris. Jaxon cringed upon witnessing this act, and noted that the number of fanatics was increasing every Sunday.

Across the room Klay was also silently wishing they would stop the disgusting act altogether. His interest in religion is comparable to an eccentric's interest in the plainly normal. Beside him his father slightly nudged him with his elbow. Klay internally sighed and straightened his posture, glancing at his father with a sidelong glance. Meeting his eyes, he knew his father was content with his adjustment and reverted his attention to the alter where Regals were organized in a line to receive their blessing from Eris through the High Lord.

After the row in front of Klay stood up, his row also stood up in order to follow behind them. As they shuffled along the wall Klay stole glances at the non-participating Regals who stood along the wall in an organized fashion, each one separated by only five feet. The group was known as the Crusaders, an organized military force that served directly under the High Lord and his cabinet. Most of the current Crusaders were able-bodied men who volunteered to serve their Goddess Eris and the High Lord.

The rank structure is very simplistic among the Crusaders. The young sons of prominent community members almost always occupied an officer spot, and commanded a squad of their own. These officers then reported to the leaders of the theocracy state. All crusaders are identified by a golden apple patch on both of their shoulders in tribute to their Goddess. (The symbol of Eris is the Golden Apple of Discord in Greek mythology) While the officers adorned slim steel rapiers on their left hip, with a single gold bar positioned horizontally below the patch on their shoulders.

Seijuro forced all members of the community to pay tribute and offer prayers to the Goddess Eris. Throughout the past year Jaxon and very few others saw the brainwashing affecting everyone inside the gates, especially in the recent months when there was small scale attacks by other survivors. Almost every week a small band would attack from outside the gates with firearms primarily. The guards by the gate would engage back while the normal citizens ran for terror.

There have been very minimal causalities now that the High Lord ordered for more guards to be posted around the gates. Regardless of his swift action fear was infecting the entire population. In the past months the average citizens would spend their time enjoying a aristocrat-style life, diving into literature and admiring art. In fact some had started to take up painting, creating new works of art to display in art shows whenever the appointed Lord of Events scheduled them.

The fear catalyzed, yet was still being virtually ignored by the "common" Regals. Klay never understood this after experiencing some of the attacks himself, and felt the rush of adrenaline one feels when bullets and other various projectiles are launched in your direction. He was beginning to search for change in the system, but has yet to find an answer.

Klay offered his "blessings" with the High Lord and followed the train outside. He was welcomed with a fresh blast of air, reinvigorating his strength and mental will to spend the rest of the day practicing his fencing with his uncles and cousins. He loved fencing as it was the only thing to do these days for him, and it also provided him an opportunity to display his superiority.

He continued smugly, checking his pristine jacket often to ensure no specks of dust invaded his appearance. He wish he had a mirror to make sure the grubby man's paws did not stain the back of it. The filthy peasant looked like he finished crawling out of a mineshaft before the service.

"Utterly filthy mongrel." Klay announced out loud in distaste.

A few passersby looked at him but quickly continued on their way. They heard of the Ashworth's spoiled brat who only wears the finest clothes regardless if the world had ended. Then again, what else did he know?

Suddenly a barrage of loud pops filled the air, flooding his ears. He instinctively turned his attention in the direction of the sounds, realizing it was close to the main gates he began to rush over. It took him several minutes to arrive due to his outfit which restricted some movement of his legs.

Cries and screams filled the street as people were rushing in all directions away from the main gate. Klay started to hurry over when a small girl fell down in front of him. Klay's subconscious processed a large group running with their heads turned behind them, unaware of the small girl they were about to trample. Klay immediately dived onto her, wrapping his arms in an effort to secure her and used his remaining momentum to roll out of the way of the large group. They just managed to get out of the way in time.

Klay looked at the small girl. "Are you hurt?" He asked.

She looked at him, confused about what just transpired. "I-i'm okay. I just thought." Her voice trailed off as she wept.

Klay felt self-aware, realizing he just saved this girl. Another large barrage of cries rang out, but this time they belonged to the mother of the small child. She came rushing through the groups waving her hands frantically.

"Animia! My baby girl are you okay?!" She flew to the ground on one knee, wrapping the frightened girl into her loving embrace. Animia continued to cry into her mother's shoulder.

"Thank you for saving my little girl. After that commotion broke out everything was in a blur, and she somehow got away from me." The mother poured.

Klay found himself tongue-tied. Feeling insecure he went for an excuse. "Just doing what anyone would do." He said awkwardly.

"That includes running towards the battle by the gates?" The mother inquired. She was no fool to simple excuses as she raised a few troublemakers over the years.

Klay immediately sobered up from his embarrassment. "Speaking of that, I need to head over there. Do yourselves a favor and get the hell out of here." Klay tried to include some of his familiar arogant tone, but found it impossible to produce against pair.

'Why am I saying these things? I dont give a shit about these two strangers!'He roared inside his head. He was extremely confused at this unfamiliar feeling.

The small girl broke away from her mother and tugged at Klay's pants. Klay lowered himself to her level where she suddenly lurched forward and kissed him on his right cheek. With the same burst of speed she retracted back into her mother's embrace giggling. Klay flushed red with embarrassment and quickly got back to his feet feeling very awkward.

"Looks like I need to keep my eye on you when she is around." The mother said with a wink.

Klay was fighting desperately to suppress a small smile but failed miserably. Instead he just turned away from the two and hurried off towards the Main Gate.

Behind him the small girl called out, "Ill see you again Misteeerrrr!"

Klay continued to fight to maintain the smile, but gave up. That little girl was something alright, almost like a piece of him that he wished he had growing up...

The sounds of battle continued as Klay made it to the Main Gate. A small team of Crusaders were stacked against a make-shift barrier, crouched down holding various firearms. Klay was about to join them when a hand seized his shoulder. Spinning around to meet the filth who touched him, Klay was face-to-face with Jaxon Chambers.

"Who the hell are you? And get your dirty paw off me!" Klay shouted, pushing Jaxon's hand off his shoulder. He found his familiar tone returning. He assumed it was just a fluke he lost it before.

Jaxon stood in front of Klay, towering over him by almost half a foot. Klay quickly took note of his attire, smirking snobbishly.

"You wore that outfit to church? You realized its mandated to wear FORMAL wear, right?" Klay mocked.

Jaxon took a quick look over Klay before replying, "Are you asking me that just to make sure you got the message correct this time? Because looking at you I could ask the same question." Jaxon said flatly.

Klay looked over his attire and realized now just how damaged the outfit was from his leaping dive earlier. Frustration burned through his veins as he balled his fist.

"Who the hell are you anyways!" Klay ordered. He was chasing anything to get his dignity back from this sarcastic commoner.

Jaxon sighed, and stretched out his hand while answering, "Jaxon Chambers, I am a relations officer. And you, friend?"

Klay looked at his hand disgustedly, not accepting the gesture. "I am not your friend, what worth do you have? Relations officer? You relating our intentions to the zombies or something?" Klay asked childishly. He was only hitting himself at this point.

At this point Jaxon already sized up Klay and understood his general personality. He allowed the insult to pass, and instead focused on the more prominent issues. By now the gunfire stopped, and the Regals began to leave their hiding places and gather by the Main Gate.

Jaxon signaled to Klay to head over there. Klay understood the signal and went with him to the gathering group. In the center of the group the High Lord stood proudly, a silent fury burning in his eyes. He waited a few more minutes before announcing that he wanted every Officer from the Crusaders to meet by the main gate in five minutes, prepared to go on a hunt. Their goal was to located the attackers and bring justice upon them here. The High Lord made a short speech, fueling the Regal's hearts with aspiration and courage in light of the recent scare.

The group then sent out together on foot. Every officer commanding his squad with total control. Two hours later they returned shoving a band of foreigners in front of them. The foreigners had make-shift binds around their hands, preventing their use. As they passed through the main gate the Regals started yelling and screaming at them, cursing them under the name of their Goddess Eris.

The group was held captive under watch by a circle of Regals with firearms trained on them. After about a half hour almost everyone was gathered around the main gate where the captives were sitting down. Seijuro scanned the crowd and decided to start explaining why he was standing there with the captives.

"Dear citizens and holy worshipers of our Goddess Eris, before you cowarding on the ground are the unholy savages who attempted to raid us earlier today. Myself and numerous fellow Regals gave chase and managed to capture most of these sickening plagues. The others where promptly killed in the battle." He finished briefly, a few murmurs rose in the masses.

The High Lord absorbed some more oxygen before starting up again. "And now we shall have our revenge collectively together," At this time he released his ornament sword from its sheath, "and send these savages to our Goddess for judgment!" He roared and swiftly slashed the blade horizontally, slicing the jugular of one of the captives.

A red spew shot up skyward, in a similar fashion as how a whale spouts water. The woman's eyes bulged wildly as she grasped her neck trying to seal the cut. Warm crimson rivers rushed over her fingers, chasing towards the earth. Gargling sounds started to choke out of her mouth as she struggled hopelessly to inhale some air. After about ten seconds she sluggishly slumped over, crashing into the ground. Her arm sprawled away from her body, drenched in a crimson coating.

The other prisoners were gasping and some also cried out during the entire episode. They all scooted closer together for comfort in the sense of numbers. Not a single Regal spoke up over the display, and all continued to remain solemn as another man entered the circle with the High Lord.

This newcomer was adorned in a spectacular clad of armor, the abdomen area was protected by a modified bulletproof metal sheet with various pieces of hardened leather woven through and interlinking additional metal sheets covering the length of his arms, forearms, thighs, calves, and kneecaps. His armor was covered in the symbols of their goddess Eris, along with the Regals own adopted symbols. A cape fluttered in the breeze behind him, stretching from the base of his neck to below his kneecaps. The cape was primary black, with the Regal's Symbol etched in crimson. The symbol consisted of a Torii Gate (Shinto's common religious symbol) with multiple chains wrapping around its pillars, before being intertwined into a Golden Apple that laid between both the standing pillars, and under the single vertical pillar. It was thought as a symbol of reform, and of insanity.

A custom-made helmet sat on top of the impressive armor, completing the set. The sides curved outward from the bottom, adding additional protection to the neck region. Only the face was exposed to the light breeze flowing through the community. A single dirt-blond strand tightened into a ponytail fell down from the helmet, posterior from view. From inside the shell a set of dim grey eyes pierced the prisoners.

The armored individual then reached at his waist for his sword, and unsheathed the blade from its elegant metal sheath. A glimmering shine reflected off the red blade as it awoke from its slummer. It was a modified rapier that reached a total length of forty-four inches. Every inch was a slim, but devastatingly strong piece of titanium. At first glance it appears the blade was painted, but actually its the result of the blade's victories in battle. The crimson blade was never washed off after a battle or human sacrifice, and became feared and well-known because of that fact.

"Paladin Raze send those pigs to our Goddess." The High Lord said before promptly leaving the gathered mass, never looking back.

At his request Thomas Raze nodded before approaching the prisoners. The prisoners could now see his exposed face and the pair of dim grey eyes that seemed to now laugh at their predicament. Despite the look in his eyes, his mouth was twisted into a crazed smile. The prisoners tried to scoot away even further, but suddenly they all ran into something. The first one who was stopped looked up and saw a robed figure standing above him, looking down. The robe shared the same colors and designs as Thomas's armor.

The man uttered a word before his throat was punctured by a silver blade. He gazed in shock as the robed figure pulled out the blade, causing an arterial stream of blood to squirt outwards, painting his friends with his life force. They started to scream until they were also killed by more robed figures who surrounded them unknowingly. There was only one last member of the group after the robed figures disposed of the rest.

He sat unmoving, his eyes wide and shifting rapidly. His mouth was moving, indicated he was probably muttering to himself. Thomas Raze approached the broken man, towering over his weak stature with his near six-foot height advantage.

"Who are you worm? Where do you come from?" He asked flatly.

The man remained silent. Thomas twisted his face and gave him a swift front kick. The shot connected with the man's skull, snapping his head back violently. The man cried out in agony while tossing around on the ground.

"I will only ask you one more time before I kill you and send you off to the Benevolent Eris, Goddess of Chaos."

"Goddess?" The man muttered while trying to reestablish his connection to the world.

Thomas pointed his crimson blade towards the grounded man, allowing him to see how sharp the tip was.

"I came from the business district! We have a society there much like yours, very sophisticated." He blabbered, almost making little sense.

"And what do you call yourselves?" Thomas asked, keeping his blade leveled to the man's neck.

"F-Founders."

Thomas laughed hysterically, almost insane like. After he finished he motioned for his Disciples to come forward. He whispered into one of their ears and the robed figure nodded. Next they grabbed the man from off the ground and lead him away. The crowd parted, allowing them to leave. The bodies were disposed of by the Crusaders, and everyone went back to their daily activities.

Jaxon and Klay stood together and witnessed everything. After it was over they both turned to each other and tried to think of something to say before parting. Both found nothing appropriate to say and awkwardly parted, leaving a unfamiliar feeling in each other.

'Can I consider him a friend?' Jaxon pondered. The childish Klay he met was definitely an arrogant brat. However, Jaxon sensed there was much more to him than he saw today.

'Man that guy is a idiot...but I guess he wasn't worthless like most of these people. Really it was me that was acting ridiculous.' Klay concluded.

* * *

**Later that Day**

_*(Light lemon, nothing graphic as I try to keep it to a minimal)*_

Thomas was laid out on his bed intertwined with his two favorite devout Disciples. Red tribal lines weaved around his legs and arms, coming together on his back creating a Gothic style cross. Apples of discord, along with various other religious symbols circled the cross in the middle . His faithful Disciples also had the same markings on their naked bodies and the three danced together in a aggressive harmony. Thomas was aggressively groping their breasts as he swept his tongue within their mouths, taking turns with each to do so. The girls were overwhelmed with silent pleasure, not able to vocally produce the sounds that would normally be emitted during these kind of acts. Thomas broke away and smiled an unusually warm smile.

Paladin Raze maintains an increasingly devoted group he calls his Disciples. These group members are not exactly Regals in the sense they offer blessings to the Goddess Eris. Instead they offer their blessings through their unshakable loyalty and sexual acts in favor of Thomas Raze. They recognize him as the Son of the Goddess Eris, a true prophet among men. They love him unwaveringly and follow him wherever he goes.

For them to be able to enjoy the spoils of the almighty and omnipresent they have to devote themselves to Thomas, and also have their larynx (voice box) surgically removed. The reasons behind this unusual condition is so they cannot surrender information to the enemy if caught and taken prisoner.

"Sometimes I wish I never removed your voice boxes so I could hear those sexy sounds you would be moaning right now." His warm smile turned into a crazed grin.

"I guess I just need to imagine those sounds when I am pounding you!" And he swiftly maneuvered on top of the one where she was already unbuckling his pants with a grin. The other, obviously jealous, quickly shoved Thomas's head into her breasts. Thomas responded accordingly, sending shivers of pleasure down the girl's spine.

Just then a knock was heard at the door, causing Thomas to shout angrily, "Fuck off! I am busy teaching the faith!"

A muffled voice from outside the door explained, "Mr. Raze, Lord Miyori asked to see you. He said it was something very important regarding the non-faithful group inside the business district."

Thomas cursed in rage and threw off the jealous girl, before pushing off the girl who drowned him in her breasts, leaving the bed with his clothes in his hand. He quickly dressed and grabbed his sword without its sheath. Grabbing the door handle, he turned around and winked at the two.

"I'll be back to punish you two later. For now, get ready for that and plan what you will do." And with his twisted smile he turned back around and opened the door.

The servant of Lord Miyori was standing there, an obvious fear in his eyes. The servant knew of Thomas's reputation and unpredictable behavior. He quickly bowed and proceeded to lead the way. As he took his second step a strong force threw him against the wall, knocking the breath out of him. He turned to look up, meeting the shimmering point of Thomas's blade. He gulped, frozen in terror.

Thomas leaned down so he was only inches away from his face, his blade now pressing into his throat.

"If you ever interrupt my teachings again little bitch, I will kill you and let those beautiful Disciples of mine drink your blood. It wouldn't be the first time, just so we are clear that I am not "pulling your leg" or whatever bullshit you guys call it these days." Thomas had a crazed expression, his mouth twitching at a violent rate.

The servant only managed to nod his head. Luckily for him that was enough for Thomas to lift him up and push him forward towards the Lord Miyori's office. The pair made their way down the hallways of Seijuro's estate in a tense manner.

After the community united and became the Regals, Seijuro opened his estate for all his Lords and Paladins. Several rooms were renovated into barracks for the Paladin's squad members. The entire east wing was set aside for the other Lords who ruled under the High Lord and served him. The serfs of the Lords and Paladins lived inside the basement with make-shift quarters. They were tasked with cleaning, cooking, and maintaining their masters.

The duo reached the door to the Lord Miyori's office at the end of the twisting hall. The servant proceeded to knock on the door two times. Seijuro's voice spoke to enter, and the servant opened the door. Upon entering the office, Thomas quickly placed his right hand over his heart, and his left hand behind his back before bowing to the High Lord.

Lord Miyori politely dismissed his formal behavior and took a hit from his exquisite pipe. Breathing out a thick volume of smoke, he started to speak.

"You may leave us now Harold." Lord Miyori ordered to his servant. After a quick bow he left the room.

"I am sorry to call for you at this hour Thomas, but before I begin please sit down." He gestured towards a beautiful wooden chair with comfortable additions.

Thomas sat down, "Why the fuck did you call me in here this late?" Thomas spat.

" Well good friend, ye-"

"Shut the hell up about 'Good Friend' and your other bullshit words. Your silver tongue is nothing but brass to me." Thomas countered.

The two hardly ever seen eye-to-eye and had a strained relationship.

Lord Miyori strained to maintain a pleasant smile. "Fine. I have gotten the report back from the Scout Crusaders regarding the business district. They found them."

Thomas grew slightly excited at this tidbit of news. "Did they mention any swordsman who may be worthy to die by my blade?"

Lord Miyori sighed, "There was no mention of anything like that except they described a huge wall encircling an area of the district. From beyond the wall they could smell what appeared to be food and hear the activities of the group. Apparently, they also have stationed guards at their main entrance. Oh, and a huge tower that stabs through the sky." He concluded.

A sickening idea filled the head of Paladin Raze. "Say, do we still got that one blueprint for the Purity Device?" He asked with a underlying hint of malice.

Lord Miyori narrowed his eyes, "I do not believe that device will help improve our relations with them."

"They are faithless! Those worms need to be purified before they can ever be allowed to co-exist with us!" He shouted.

"We do not know that yet, Paladin Raze."

"I hope you are including me in this caravan you are planning to send to them and establish connection." Thomas replied, avoiding the subject.

"As you are the church's strongest Paladin that is a given, we may need you there to help fight them if relations fail."

"Excellent. I will be bringing my Disciples with me as well."

Lord Miyori cringed at his last statement. While the High Lord encouraged Thomas to keep his own band of worshipers, the majority reeled at their interactions with Thomas. In broad daylight on the streets Thomas may grab one of the female Disciples and start to heavily make-out with them, often escalating into further mild sexual acts. Parents are forced to shelter their children, while everyone has to ignore the acts. If they tried to stand up to him, well..

"We do not want to risk intimiding them and give them the feeling that we are possibly going to attack them, so keep them at a minimal. Jaxon Chambers, our relations officer, and Carson Peirce will be accompanying you. I task you along with your "Disciples" and the other Crusaders with their protection." Lord Miyori ordered.

'Task me? This arrogant worm..' Thomas thought to himself. He gave a small nod in response.

Thomas never agreed with the Lords and their methods. In his eyes they were all expendable to him, their only purpose was to be used to achieve his enlightenment and be granted the powers as Eris's true son. The ones below him were all worthless, not even deserving to be tossed a piece of molded bread. He was truly disgusted with the politics that governed the Regals hierarchy. Depending on your surname is what determines your starting place in this civilization.

He sometimes wished the old priest who discovered him half dead in the freezing waters of the Delaware River left him there. The again, that was just his frustration speaking. He still needed to get revenge against that bastard who took everything from him.

'Phil Angelo' Thomas's mind burned from rage at the thought of the man's name.

A knock was heard at the door, interrupting the meeting. Lord Miyori asked with a raised voice, "Who is it?!"

A startled Carson replied, "My Lord, you asked me to come to your office at this hour. Remember?" Carson asked nervously.

"Ah! Yes, please come in my dear boy."

The door opened and Carson walked in. Spotting Paladin Raze, he grew weary. He was not going to enjoy this late-night meeting. Thomas was already analyzing Carson, noticing the slight change in his movements after making eye contact. He decided to have a little fun.

Raze spoke up, "This was the boy you said wanted to become one of my Disciples?" Addressing Lord Miyori.

Carson froze in place,various thoughts coursed through his mind made him pale. Lord Miyori was about to speak up but interrupted by Thomas's follow-up.

"You are young enough to learn. Yes, I think I will set you up with this cute little girl named Chelsea. Just wait to you see how she uses her tongue! She may not be able to speak but she can sure suck." Thomas finished the last part whispering in Carson's ear.

Carson was paralyzed, unable to form a response to the lewd provocations. He only managed to shake his head side to side. Thomas sneered.

"You are missing out on a chance of a lifetime." He mocked.

Carson ignored him, keeping true to his Lutheran beliefs. He took a seat beside Paladin Raze, and looked to Lord Miyori.

"That man beside you is Paladin Raze, Carson. He will be accompanying us on our mission to make contact with the group in the business district."

Carson's attention rose. "Mission? We finally located the group?" He inquired.

"Yes, starting tomorrow morning at noon we will be leaving from the Main Gate. Please make sure you are ready and have all your items you think you'll need. It should only take a day or less to reach there depending on how many zombies we encounter along the way." Lord Miyori informed.

Carson was slightly overwhelmed by the news. He was no where near ready to leave on such short notice, and asked if he could be excused to prepare. Lord Miyori allowed him to leave and he promptly left. Afterwards Lord Miyori turned back to Paladin Raze.

"I know you will be on time Paladin Raze. Do not bring _that_ device with you on this trip. Its not necessary."

'Fuck this guy.' Paladin Raze thought. He was the second prophet of the Regals.

"Whatever. I am still bringing my faithful Disciples with me, I won't need the device." Thomas lied.

"Very well. I will see you at noon." Lord Miyori concluded.

After leaving the room Thomas went in the opposite direction of his room. Instead he exited the estate and traveled along the sidewalk. He passed by numerous Regals, most on a late night stroll. With the limited options available for passing time many turned to their extensive libraries. Others started up various contests and activities in coordination with the Lord of Events. Thomas noted today must of been one of the event nights.

A trail of barbeque aroused his senses, causing him to attempt searching for the source with his grey eyes. He gave up the search after several seconds, throwing away his sense of smell. Right now he was heading to the production factory to meet with an associate. Approaching his turn he lifted the black hood over his head. (He is still wearing his night clothes, and not the suit of armor)

He took a right, sliding along a wooden fence. Every few steps he looked back to ensure no one was following him. As he entered the shadows he continued focusing his attention on what was in front of him to make sure he avoided ramming into anything. After a few minutes he left the darkness and stepped on the sidewalk of the slave sector.

The Slave Sector, as it was often referred to, was controlled by the High Lord and his appointed Lords. These Lords' purpose was to supervise their personnel and maximize the production of valued assets for the Regals. The workers were primarily captured or detained survivors who now served as slaves, or serfs as some politely called it, for the High Lord. While they can be found everywhere inside the community, most of them live in the converted factories where they spend their remaining time working. They never got to leave the factory except once a month, for half a day under the supervision of the Crusaders.

Thomas Raze was heading for the weapon factory. He swiftly transverse the night and arrived promptly at the factory. Inside the lights were still on, and he could here the hammering resonating past the walls. Thomas raised his balled fist and gave a quick, double knock. After several seconds the door opened halfway, an older gentleman peered through the cracked opening.

"Ah! Mr. Raze please come in." He said in a gruff voice, moving out of the way while opening the door fully. After Thomas passed through he quickly closed the door, and locked it.

"What brings you here tonight?" He asked in his gruff voice, rubbing his hands together.

"It's time. Do you have the Purity Device ready?" Thomas asked curtly.

Thomas did not possess any love or admiration for anyone in this world except the Priest that enlightened him and his Disciples. However, his opinions on the older man were not sour. The older man was first introduced to him when Thomas became a Paladin of the church. During his first visit the man showed absolute respect, and even offered his blessings through Thomas to their Goddess Eris. His displays during the first visit was something Thomas still has failed to see from anyone else, including some of the esteemed Lords. Inside his heart Thomas had a mutual respect with this man.

"Ah the device. Yes I do, just as you asked for a few months ago. What a tricky device to build!" He exclaimed.

Turning around he lead Thomas upstairs were his office was. The stairs creaked under their combined weight, wailing out after every step. A metallic stench rose from the slaved efforts in the basement. Thomas found the smell..invigorating.

Upon reaching the second floor the pair took a right down a hallway. Hung on the wall were rows of decorative weapons, swords of various sizes were accompanied by other small blades that appeared to be daggers. Thomas could easily tell from his extensive experience in fencing that the blades were perfectly balanced. He could even venture to guess what they were made from.

The older man lead him into a room that was his office. Thomas closed the door behind them, and took a seat in front of the desk. Various tools and scattered papers littered the desk. It was the older man's personal workbench. The man asked for Thomas to wait a few moments and disappeared into a compartment hidden in the back. Emerging a few minutes later he approached Thomas and asked him to lend out his hand.

Thomas complied with his order. In return the man dropped a box-shaped object into his palm. Thomas instantly knew what it was. He rose and handed the man a few dollars.

"Win that next poker game with the blessings of Eris." He gave a twisted grin and lead himself out of the room.

He promptly left the building and returned to his chambers. The two Disciples from earlier were still sprawled out in their lewd fashion, enticing the desires inside Thomas. That night Thomas released all the frustrations and stress he accumulated that day.

'Tomorrow was going to be a great day' He thought.

* * *

**Morning After**

Shakur awoke with a start. Sweat poured down his face as he tried to remember the nightmare he was just living.

'Mom..It seemed so real..' He tried to remember but shortly gave up.

He conducted his morning rituals and headed downstairs in search of his father. Today he was hoping he could learn a few new things about being a diplomat. Over the past couple months Shakur felt he could be doing more for the society and looked to his father for answers. Given his father was the Lord of Foreign Relations he felt it was a job he could get in on easily. After hearing out his wishes his father began to instruct him on various topics when meeting with new parties for hopes to reach agreements. Shakur learned most of it pretty quickly, but lacked any real life application.

Downstairs he ran into his father when entering the kitchen. Shakur instantly knew his father was preparing for something today after spotting his father's bags in hand.

"Going somewhere today Dad?" He asked.

"Ah Shakur, I was just getting ready to wake you before I leave. Today I am leading a party to the business district. We finally located that elusive group." He informed his son.

Shakur got excited. "That's great! You were waking me up so I could come along and get some experience as well right?" Shakur beamed.

Lord Miyori sighed. He was afraid his son would ask that.

"I am sorry Shakur, but you can't join me on this trip. It can be very dangerous and you are still too young to experience combat." He replied. His fears were not that his son was too young like he said, but rather that Paladin Raze would be there. He was also bringing his lunatic groupies, and that premise caused him to not allow Shakur to come along.

"Next time you can." He added.

"But dad! This is groundbreaking, I need to be part of this! It's literally an once-in-a-lifetime chance!" He argued.

"I am sorry son, but the answer is still no. Take care of your sister when I am away." And with that he turned and left the house.

Shakur was disappointed and remained so until his little sister flew down the stairs thirty minutes later.

She ran into the kitchen and yelled, "BREAKFAST!" Under the false premise that breakfast was actually ready to be served. Instead a box of stale cereal and a bowl awaited her.

She turned inquisitively to her brother who was slurping his bowl, finished with its contents.

"Where's Dad, Shak?" She asked.

"Gone on a business trip." He said, mopping still.

His sister was very keen when it came to his feelings and instantly caught on. Despite being younger than him, she was quite intelligent.

"He left you here didn't he? Probably because he felt that you aren't ready?" She asked.

"Bingo." He said flatly, staring at his empty bowl.

Tsukino smiled. She made her way around the table and wrapped her arms around her brother. Her actions caused Shakur to snap out of his drought, he turned to look at her. She gave him a big smile and pecked him on his head.

"Dummy, you need to stay here and keep an eye on me so I don't get eaten." And she giggled while running out the room, completely forgetting about breakfast.

Shakur stared puzzling after her, and broke into a small smile.

"Sis, you're the best." He said to himself.

He got up and cleaned the table. Then he prepared to cook breakfast for his sister. He was pulling all stops for her today, even breaking out the seemingly vanishing bacon from their last reserves.

He completely forgot about his nightmare as he spent the morning together with his sister.

* * *

**Main Gate**

Lord Miyori arrived ten minutes before noon at the designated meeting place. He was greeted by Carson Peirce and Jaxon Chambers who were exchanging words. The pair continued their conversation, a exchange of ideas regarding what they may encounter along the trip. A few minutes later Lord Miyori's requested Crusader Squads arrived.

The two officers saluted him with a erect posture, not a common aspect among the young officers of the Church. They briefly introduced their squad members to him, along with a inventory of their supplies. The Lord gave a curt nod at the end of their report, and thanked them for offering their services along the trip. Jaxon and Carson introduced themselves to the squads afterwards, allowing the party to be fully acquainted.

Ten minutes later a crimson horde appeared, approaching the party. The officers stiffened realizing who it was. One of them gave a side glance at Lord Miyori, hoping to receive a explanation. Lord Miyori opted not to grant him his request, and remained fixated on Paladin Raze and his legion of "Disciples".

Thomas said nothing as he reached the group, and only motioned towards the gates with his right arm. Lord Miyori nodded, and silently prayed to the Goddess Eris for relief. Granted she was the Goddess of Chaos, he assumed his request would be mocked at by Her Merciless. Jaxon and Carson exchanged a meaningful glance to each other, and followed behind Paladin Raze and his fanatics. The other Crusaders waited for Lord Miyori to join the train before following, allowing them to secure rear security.

The group proceeded towards their destination under a rising sun.

_A story that would be filled with tragedy by the end of its chapter._

* * *

First off! I am sorry for the unusually long time its taken to update. I prioritized school over my writing during these past months. Luckily summer is coming up so I should be able to keep up the pace.

Second! Thanks for reading this chapter. Again it was a pretty long chapter where I focused more on the relationships of the characters. Hopefully I did a good job including the details of the settings as well. This society is a hard one to capture in my mind. I had to let myself leave some details alone so the chapter would work out, but I am not sure if I will do that again.

Third! Please review and send me your thoughts or questions! And also please vote on my profile!

**Thanks guys, Rotto out!**


	6. First Blood

Hey guys/gals, Rotto here delivering another exciting chapter of the Warring States for you! You will notice that some characters had been introduced this chapter. That is because they are coming off the tail end of my revamped roster I started for chapter two. I wonder what new things they bring?

**Note:** Eric's character is going to seem a lot different from now on. I was contacted by the creator and realized I misunderstood the characterization of the character. For the sake of the third chapter I will not edit his parts, but explain the change in later chapters.

**Note:** No Author's Corner for this chapter. It seems I was unable to find any interesting words to review and share with you guys!

* * *

'Darkness. So much chaos surrounding us when we ran away from our home. The place of stagnant suddenly was gone, absorbed in the hell that was brought with the emergence of zombies. My thoughts were so sporadic then, racing from forty to one-hundred miles in a mere few seconds. If Ren was not there to carry me, I would probably be dead…'

Mana shot up from her bed drenched in a cold sweat. The cold darkness shrouded her bedroom, further adding to her confusion. Perhaps she was still in a dream? She seen it before in a few of her mangas she read over the years. The character seemingly wakes up from a horrific dream and believes they escaped the horrors. Then they turn on the light, or turn over in the bed, and face the same exact horrors they thought they escaped. Afterwards they wake up again, finally escaping the dreaded fate.

Mana reached down to her thigh and pinched it. A slight pain responded, confirming she was awake. She reached over to her lantern and flicked it on. A dim glow washed over her room, revealing the contents in a blur. The hazy outlining of her favorite manga posters decorated the small cell. A once-elegant rug covered the cold cement flooring. Over the months it became tattered due to Mana's lacking grace and also the rodents that scurried in the shadows. The pyro team was supposed to have taken care of them already, but she was sure they did not.

She became aware of her body burning under the thick cover, and quickly released herself from the trap. Inside the room a dry draft circulated the cell, further consuming the cool air and converting it to its dreaded summer flame. A lone fly buzzed by the lantern now, enthralled with its enticing glow as it danced around the object.

Mana turned her attention towards the mirror and approached it. The scattered shards were crafted into a mosaic piece which hung on the wall. Various tapes salvaged from the offices above were recruited in order to hang the "artwork". It was rather quite beautiful compared to everything else in the room, well almost everything.

Mana went to examine her face, having to squint in order to capture all the details. Her face has a soft heart shape, with thin eyebrows and thin lips attached to an equally elegant mouth. The only "blunder" is her slightly big forehead and sharp cheeks that sometimes made her indistinguishable from a girl to a boy. However, she did not mind.

'As long as they don't find out who I really am..' Her mind wandered as he continued to ponder her reflection.

Inside the mirror she saw her tired self still covered in a layer of sweat. Her eyes were slightly baggy from her continuous late night reading sessions. She hoped she would finally score some new mangas on the next supply run. Granted the Pit Boss fails to need her assistance with a "person of interest".

She broke contact from the mirror and visited the closet next. Thankfully she was off today and decided she would cosplay while free running today. Inside the closet she located her torn denim vest and placed it aside while fishing for her other pieces of her costume. A spider crawled away from sight after being revealed when she lifted a plain black t-shirt.

Afterwards she slid on her clothes, starting from her lower half. She pulled purplish-black cargo pants over her small legs, easily fitting them on due their baggy nature. She tightened them around her waist with a military pouch that hanged over her left hip. Next she fitted on her black combat boots and strapped them tight, almost to the point they restricted blood flow to her feet.

She stood up and snatched her plain black shirt off her bed and swiftly fitted the fabric around her impish frame. Finally she reached for the denim vest and slipped it on over her shirt, completing the upper portion of her attire. Mana glanced over on her desk and spotted the final accessory she was missing.

She strolled over the torn rug and grabbed the mask resembling her favorite tragic hero of all anime, Kaneki Ken. The mask closely resembled the epic trademark of Kaneki Ken, there was very few differences that only the most dedicated anime watchers would be able to spot. Mana smiled, a rare sight, and carefully equipped the mask around her face. Her features were now completely hidden, a small relief washed over her.

Perhaps the feeling was directly correlated with her position in the Marauders that dispersed this oddity inside her body. Or maybe it was something else. Mana ignored the feeling and continued to prepare for her free day.

Ten minutes later she left her room. The inside of the cell had boards covering over the metal bars to grant Mana some privacy. Outside she locked the cell door and checked the handle. The lock remained firm and she turned to proceed down the winding corridor.

Along her way she earned a few curious glances from passing clansmen. Due to her boyish appearance she was left alone by the more "inquiring" members who were looking for something to poke. Thankfully they failed to realize her true identity, because if they did…

A humid wave crashed into Mana as she exited the barracks. The sticky air pressed against her dark and dense clothes, causing a rush of heat to flow through her body. Indifferent to the unfavorable weather condition, she set off for the usual track she ran through.

Suddenly an eerily preppy voice singed out from behind Mana.

"Why hello sweetie!"

Mana turned around and faced the owner of the singing voice. An eccentrically-appearing short character with an odd hairstyle that was matched with equally odd color stood just outside the door Mana exited. An almost sickening smile was strewn across her face as her different iris colors danced vividly. To say the least, Mana was at a loss for words.

However, Mana absolutely adored her outfit. The beautifully exquisite Gothic dress was something she often seen in her mangas. Appealing to her apparel Mana hesitated, and failed to get away.

"You know I never seen you around before." Kimi closed the distance swiftly and leaned into her shoulder, her mouth only inches away from Mana's ear.

"Hiding behind that mask, is there something you don't want me to know?" She said with a small smile. Mana felt the hot breath lick her ear, and slightly shuddered.

The pressure of Kimi's body slowly increased. Her breasts enclosed around Mana's arm, trapping her in an unorthodox trap only the most gifted girls could manage. For some reason Mana felt it hard to resist her, and quickly found herself seeking help from inside her mind. Kimi get increasing the pressure every so often as she continued her assault. A slippery moist strip suddenly started dancing on Mana's ear. Her head started to feel light.

As quickly as she attacked, Kimi retracted and winked. "I'll see you around Stranger." Kimi said in her unusually singly voice.

Mana watched her leave behind the building and almost collapsed. She was holding her breath the entire time without realizing it. She spent a few moments regaining her strength, and allowing her body to cool off. She shuddered thinking about the entire situation, and wished it would never happen again. However, the girl seemed to not realize her "true" identity.

'She has never heard of the "Grim Reaper" before?' Mana wondered.

Mana contemplated what just transpired for a brief minute. The Gothic-themed, and possibly twisted, shorter girl was a mystery. Nothing she did made any obvious sense, or served any purpose. She seemed only to enjoy the moments of praying on her. Realizing it was pointless to waste more time thinking about Mana gave up and decided to return to her original track.

After crossing the deserted field Mana arrived at the obstacle course. The wide array of varying obstacles rose from the ground and morphed into countless tests for her. She thanked them for being available and quickly began her workout.

Mana sat down and stretched out her legs, reaching with her arms to seize her feet. The sizzling burn was scorching her hamstrings from the stretch. Despite being only nineteen, Mana acquired the flexibility of a professional ballet dancer due to her enthusiasm of parkour. She loved the thrill of an adrenaline rush while performing difficult agile movements in semi-hazardous to even hazardous environments. She never once feared the rush, but instead embraced it.

Her ninety-seven pound body was filled with the mixed heritage of Japanese, and partial Australian- Caucasian blood reaching a total height one inch shy of five feet. She was an extremely odd sight around the prison, however she was feared equally. Despite her frail frame and short stature everyone still remembers the day when she arrived at the prison.

_The towering walls amazed Mayumi Nanase. She was still getting used to her new name she created after leaving the Founders. The walls before her offered an opportunity for a new beginning. A sort of excitement overcame her weary form. She quickly rushed over to the prison and began to search for a way in. _

_Suddenly the security gate opened and a group came out from behind the walls. _

_"What you doing here little...uh girl? Boy?" a heavier man asked._

_"I am looking to make this place my home. May I join your group?" Mayumi asked._

_The group looked at her for a moment and began to laugh._

_"A little weakling like you joining us?" The same heavier man roared merrily._

_"What a joke!" another cried._

_The collective laughter began to annoy Mayumi who stood still taking all of it. After a few moments they ceased their humiliating practice. _

_"I just want a chance." She said seriously. _

_The heavier individual noted her tone and realized she was pretty serious about it. _

_"Then come with us, but be prepared." He said seriously. His friends looked at him like he was crazy, but held their tongues._

_Mayumi nodded and followed them inside. Before long they arrived at a grotesquely decorated building. The multitude of deteriorating corpses welcomed Mayumi who chose to ignore them. Inside she was taken to the Pit where she was thrown into the arena. She glanced around confused, looking at the multiple peering faces laughing at her. _

_Suddenly a voice called to her. Glancing towards her right she saw a machete slid into the arena. _

_"You may want to grab that before they join you." The heavier man coached her. He was the one who provided the machete. _

_Mayumi quickly seized the weapon, glancing over its broken form. Suddenly the crowd began to cheer, causing Mayumi to look around. The doors of the arena opened. A few stumbling corpses entered the arena led by their handlers._

_ The doors were closed promptly and a thundering voice cried, "Let the match begin!"_

"Excuse me, you must be Mana, also known as the Grim Reaper. I was asked by the Pit Boss earlier today to find you." A cold voice called out, snapping Mana back to the real world.

She turned and spotted a boy she already knew. The raven black hair swept to the left combined with a cold tone, who else could it be but Junbei Tachibana? It seemed to Mana that the Pit Boss was beginning to make his move. Great, more orders she would "need" to follow.

"Do I have to?" She said resentfully.

Junbei eyes narrowed. "Its my head if you don't comply, so yes you do."

"Then carry me there, I dont wanna go so I am going to sleep instead." She borely stated and prepared to lay down.

"How about I drag you instead?" Junbei offered, his condescending tone present.

"Whatever, lets just get this over with then." She offered.

The two traversed the lawn and entered the main complex. They found the staircase and began to climb them. Mana and Junbei conquered the stairs and found themselves staring down the unfamiliar long hallway.

At the end of the hallway the only options were to turn right or left. The plastered walls seemingly turned inwards to them, scraps of plaster hanging over like a leaf from a stem. The walls acted like the catalysis, absorbing them in its dying grasp. For some reason the hallway felt…dead.

Junbei nudged her from her left side, his elbow digging into her ribcage. He was a little shocked at how thin she was, but pretended he did not realize.

"Left or right?" he asked, his eyes examined the hallway.

Behind her mask Mana paled with shock, and quickly turned to him.

"You tell me we need to go see the Pitt Boss, yet you don't even know where he is?!" She cried out with disbelief. She was utterly shocked at how unprepared he was.

"He said you could handle it." Junbei said in a level, cold tone.

Mana sighed heavily, face-palming herself with her right hand. Her mask squished against her eyes unpleasantly. She let out a soft cry in anguish, and muttered a few absurdities. She sensed Junbei looking at her, and quickly gave him a deadly look.

Of course she knew which way to turn in order to reach his office. However, Junbei seemed to miss the point entirely.

Junbei lifted his hands as if surrendering, and made no comment. A slight lopsided grin was present, and a broken laugh escaped his lips.

"WHAT?!" Mana screamed out.

"I am sure you are some big shot around here, most likely the famous 'Grim Reaper' everyone tells ghost stories about. But in reality you are just brittle and frail. You can't even handle your own equipment." His condescending tone seemed to amplify his twisted grin.

Mana began to fume. One thing she hated the most was being belittled and not given the credit she deserved. She would really love to prove this arrogant moron wrong, but she knew her actions would be inexcusable before the Pitt Boss and decided to calm down.

'I'll show you the Grim Reaper' she swore in her head.

They reached the door shortly after. The cracked glass broke up the word "Warden", Mana always found the element suited the current situation of the prison. Once there was a Warden who guarded over Japan's most ruthless savages. Now there was a great savage ruling over a territory of more savages.

Junbei grasped the door handle and was about to open the door. Mana, realizing his mistake, quickly grabbed his hand in order to stop him. At the touch of her skin Junbei froze up, his limbs turning rigid. The images from _that_ time flooded his brain.

_The cold steel bars closed on him, leaving him alone with his bunk mates. The guards left the giant bay area, calling that it was lights out. Dim ultraviolet rays shone down from the ceiling, barley illuminating anything. Junbei knew what time it was for him. Unlike the guards, he was terrified of it.  
_

_Junbei continued to look through the steel bars, hoping that the horrors would rest for tonight. He still had a migraine from last night's events. The throbbing pain seemed to resonate off the steel bars, crushing his cranial capacity like a car compactor. _

"_Hey Jun, wanna have some fun tonight?" The familiar voice called out, it belonged to the white male with eight toes. _

"_Yea! It's a Saturday night, let's have some __**fun**__!" The black male with the lazy eye solidified._

'_Fun.' That world scared Junbei more than the words death, demons, and every other word that invoked negative feelings. _

_A rough set of hands belonging to the white male wrapped around Jun's waist, pulling him away from the bars. Junbei watched in silent horror as the pale lights grew dimmer, and the darkness absorbed him. _

"_Yea, let's have some __**fun**__." The black male said, his lazy eye danced vividly in delight. _

Mana's voice faded in, "Junbei? Junbeeei!" The lazy tone bounced off his eardrums and snapped him out of his mental flashback.

"I heard you the first time." He quickly regained his composure. Noticing she still had her hand on his, he added, "And please let go of my hand. I am impartial to woman of your nature." He said with a slight sarcastic tone, his familiar twisted grin appearing.

Mana fumed again, and quickly pulled away her hand. However, she did not fail to miss Junbei's odd behavior. It reminded her of the many scenes she read in her mangas, however she could not quite pinpoint it yet.

"Whatever. I would never fall for such a shallow person anyways. Anyways you failed to knock on the door which is why I stopped you. I actually just saved your life ya know?" She said, with a small smile of her own.

'He may be a stick in the mud but at least he has some colorful vocabulary.'

Junbei gave up on a retort and knocked on the door. A gruff voice replied, "Come on in you savages!"

Junbei narrowed his eyes as he prepared himself for this moment. Looking at Mana she just gave him a lazy thumbs up to signal she was ready. Junbei grasped the knob once again, and opened the door.

The wooden door screeched against the smooth tiles exposed from the ruined carpet. After the initial push the door caught on to the thin carpet and rested its weary voice. A foul stench invaded the duo's noses as they entered the office of the Pit Boss. It was a mix of alcohol, smoke, and blood. The dense metallic taste licked their taste buds, causing Junbei to cough roughly a couple times.

The walls were adorned with numerous trophies Mana was accustomed to seeing. At first the severed heads irked her, but now they blended in with the rest of the savage scenery. Junbei however never seen the office before, and his eyes danced around crazily just like a child in a toy store.

"Like em, eh? That one feller with the sliced jaw was a tough bastard. It took thirty-seven slices with my machete to take him down. I'll never forget that bastard." The gruff voice spoke thoughtfully through a mask of smoke.

The voice belonged to the Pit Boss, Ben Hammock. He sat behind his rustic desk with his boots propped up, overlapping each other. He was currently leaning back in his impressive office chair, with his right hand holding a cigar, and his left holding a switchblade. Numerous scars illustrated his long life of strife, as well as a pair of beady brown eyes that watched the two closely.

"Pit Boss I-" Junbei started,

"Just call me Ben, Junbei Tanibachi. I hate formalities more than I hate cheap women." He said with a charismatic smile.

"Right. We came at your request Ben, now will you tell us why you summoned us?" Junbei inquired, his eyes narrowed.

Mana continued to examine the scene silently. A rustling behind the desk averted her eyes. Likewise Junbei also was distracted, and peered behind Ben's position. A black cage standing about five feet tall was hidden from sight. The rustling continued briefly, with muffled sounds also coming to existence.

"Ah she is finally awake!" Ben said happily.

He quickly stood up and motioned for the two to come behind his desk. They complied, and soon discovered what the source of the noises was. Hidden behind the desk was a frail and broken body of a nearly naked women, her lips covered with a musty tattered rag. Her hands were bonded with zip-ties, digging into her flesh.

She glanced at the three of them pleadingly, begging for something. Mana and Junbei were confused, and taken off-guard. Even though Mana has been in the office many times over the past few months, she never seen the cage or any women inside. The image was horrifying on various degrees, but yet seemed almost fitting compared to the rest of the room.

'Isn't that sick?' She wondered.

"She is quite a beautiful girl, isn't she boy?" Ben said nudging Junbei. He could only respond with a curt nod.

"What about you Mana? From a women's perspective I caught quite a beautiful fish right?" He asked, his voice filled with pride.

"Indeed you have Ben." She forced herself to say, masking her ranging emotions.

Ben chuckled, "Ah yes, but now let's talk about why I called for you here. Also, there should be some more joining us shortly. But for now, please take a seat in front of my desk." He offered, guiding them back.

Just as they prepared to take their seats a knock was heard at the door.

"Come on in!" Ben called in his gruff voice.

The door opened in response, with a towering man entering the room. His dark blue eyes scanned the current crowd carefully. The sign of a true blacksmith and quartermaster with years of experience. He spotted Junbei and excitedly called out to him.

"Junbei! What a coincidence we both just happened to be here at the same time! Why it must be fate telling us to share some good stories." He smiled happily.

"Sampson, we both know we were called here purposely." Junbei said with an annoyed sigh.

'Seriously, this guy…'

Sampson looked around surprised, pretending he was not aware of the situation Junbei described. His aloof behavior was trademark Sampson, minus the botched punchline. Ben Hammock laughed merrily, and motioned for Sampson to have a seat beside the other two guests.

"Have a beer Sampson!" Ben cheerfully called out, slamming a brown bottle down on his desk.

"Just how I like my beer, ice cold from the coldest heart around!" Sampson happily cheered while snatching the bottle and drowning its contents.

Afterwards another knock was heard at the door. An even more towering man entered the office. He was a Goliath in size, having to duck down slightly in order to spare his head from the ceiling. The other three gawked at him, taken by complete surprise.

"Ah Niles! So glad you can make it!" Ben smiled charismatically.

Niles directed his blue eyes downwards, avoiding the stares he was receiving from the other guests. His toned arms were tensed at his sides as he continued to stand awkwardly. Sampson was the first to break the spell. He saw a golden opportunity and seized it.

"How's the weather up there?" He joked happily.

Niles "Yoshi" Jack River was taken back by the horrible joke, unsure what the intent was he remained silent. Sampson continued to laugh by himself, while the others looked at him doubtfully.

"I fear he does not understand your joke Mister." A calm and collective voice called from behind Niles.

Everyone turned and saw an average girl reaching about five-foot-seven. Her sharp maroon eyes carried a cold glance that held an untold number of struggles and challenges. Sampson sobered up when he met their gaze, he related with them. The others sensed a silent tension and chose to remain silent.

"I'm sorry, they say I still need some training before I can use my jokes in public." He said with a small chuckle.

The newcomer remained standing at a relaxed pose. She had luscious dark brown hair that was tied into a high ponytail. A few bangs fell over onto her forehead where she had them parted to the right. Her face showcased a mixture of elegant and graceful feminism qualities, while including signs of strength and determination in her expressions. She felt powerful to everyone else, a feeling like a gladiator displays when watched from the Coliseum.

"Hello everyone, my name is Azami Nakano." She formally said.

"Well then now that everyone has been assembled here allow me to explain why I called all of you in today." Ben spoke up, his gruff voiced replaced with a tone of authority.

He continued, "We are going to war." He said with a sadistic smile.

* * *

**Outside Founder Territory**

The trip was long and tedious for the Regal party. Along the way they encountered various pods of zombies, where the Crusaders quickly engaged them. One of the rookie officers was bit on his hand when impaling a zombie. He mistakenly aimed for the throat, which gave the zombie the opportunity to curse him with its disease. Afterwards when the entire pod was slaughtered by Raze and his Disciples, they quickly confronted the officer.

"You have been cursed with the impurity of the undead. You know what needs to happen now, Officer Nadrik." Thomas spoke in an eerie delight. A raging fire burned in his orbital irises.

"Pleas-" Nadrik began before a multitude of blades speared his body from behind him. The cursed blades belonged to the silent Disciples, carrying out Eris's will for Paladin Raze. Nadrik trembled terribly, his mouth twitched from an attempt to form the rest of his plead. His knees buckled, and then he slumped down with the assistance of the Disciples. The released their blades from his vessel, allowing his life force to drain rapidly.

The crimson blood began stretching out across the cement street, capturing territory at an alarming speed. By now Nadrik was paralyzed from shock, his eyes were beginning to gloss over. Paladin Raze positioned himself above his broken form.

"By the grace of Eris, our Goddess and loving mother, I release you from your sins." And he drove down his famous crimson blade through the head of Officer Nadrik, a loud clink indicated the tip smashed into the street.

A small spew of blood flew up and painted Thomas's face. He bent his head back and laughed happily, running his free left hand against his cheeks. It was absolutely pure bliss for him. His companions were all taken back from his aberrant behavior.

One of his beloved Disciples approached him and seized his face with her pale hands. She immediately attacked his face with her tongue. The slippery velvet strip ran against his cheek, picking up the crimson droplets in a greedy manner. Thomas did not resist her, and after she was finished he assaulted her mouth with his tongue.

The others gave up watching the horrendous act and gazed around the city. They were just outside the territory of the supposed Founders, but found no signs indicating their presence. Lord Miyori sighed heavily and sat down on the sidewalk. His feet ached from the journey across Tokyo.

The sun was riding its last minutes before it began its decedents. The hot orb flared viciously at the group. The entire street was illuminated in its powerful glow, discarding any shadows that may provide relief. An orchestra of Cicadas screeched violently in the background, hidden away from sight.

Jaxon knelled down beside Lord Miyori with a hand outstretched towards him. Inside his grasp was a glistering bottle of water which Lord Miyori accepted graciously. Jaxon sat next to him wiping his forehead. His long black strands were glued to his head, drenched in sweat.

"No signs anywhere, do you think they were wrong about the business district being their territory?" Jaxon asked.

Lord Miyori had the bottle cracked open and was just finishing consuming a gulp of the glistering liquid. "I doubt that Jaxon, those Scouts were some of the best."

"I hope they really are, because we are running out of water. This heat is truly outrageous." He commented, shielding his eyes from the burning rays.

Across the street a squad of Crusaders were combing through a few cars crashed along the road. Their officer was supervising them, occasionally pointing out something to the searchers. So far they suffered little casualties to the undead, and thankfully the area seemed mostly clear of them.

Carson silently left the group behind and ventured down the street. He located an alleyway to his right, a slight fragrance lingered down the corridor. The smell was familiar to him, a distant memory was beginning to surface. Curiosity got the best of him as he found himself being sucked into the allure of the corridor.

A rat scurried behind a trashcan, causing Carson to jump slightly. Shaking off the silly tremble he continued down the cool portal, finding himself being consumed by the tasty smell. It definitely was familiar to him, there was no mistake.

He reached the end of the corridor and found himself in front of a giant wall resembling a rustic mosaic piece of chain-link fences and barbed wire. Numerous cars were integrated into the masterpiece at obvious strategic positions. The question now remained.

'Who created this?' He pondered.

"Freeze!" A sudden commanding voice shouted.

Carson immediately tensed up and obeyed the newcomer's commands. He turned slightly and located a young male with a furrowed brow. His wide eyes shone amazement and some fear, almost like he was just as surprised as Carson to find each other.

Carson decided to try and reason with the individual who held a small caliber rifle at a shooting position.

"I won't try anything so please lower your weapon. I come in peace." He calmly stated, a slight tremble in his knees.

"S-Shut up! I don't know who you are but obviously you are not from our community." The man replied, threatening Carson with the weapon still.

Carson found a possible clue to the identity of the individual. "Community? Are you from the group called 'The Founders?" He asked.

The man glared sharply, raising the weapon even higher with the barrel pointed straight between Carson's eyes. "How do you know of us?"

"Well…" Carson started, he realized the true nature of the situation that led to their discovery of the Founders could be a "touchy" subject for a member belonging to them.

"Answer me!" He shouted loudly. His finger hovered over the trigger well, twitching violently.

"How about you lower your weapon before I slice off your head, impure savage." The voice of Thomas Raze was a relief to Carson.

The man trained his aim at Paladin Raze, who failed to flinch at the threat.

"I really hate cowards who hide behind a hollow barrel. Eris slaughter this impure soul!" He shouted, lifting his crimson blade into a trained stance.

He quickly shot off at a rapid speed, closing in on the lone target in front of him. Roughly fifteen meters separated the two, a battlefield barren of cover. Raze's face twisted into a blissful grin as he pounded toward the lone "solider". The other combatant hesitated before firing off a round. The bullet flew into Raze's chest area, blocked by the well-designed armor.

"That's all you got?!" Raze taunted, laughing happily.

The man turned pale and froze in place. He hurriedly tried to pull back the bolt and re-chamber his next round but his hands were shaking too violently.

"Paladin Raze stop!" Lord Miyori shouted out, arriving at the scene along with the others. Jaxon quickly approached Carson and watched Thomas along with him. The event had everyone in a suspended moment, unsure of what to do or say.

Raze continued his assault, a mad fury burning in his eyes. He was laughing to himself manically as he thundered towards the enemy he saw in front of him. The poor man had giving up on his rifle and turned around to run away. Only about eight meters separated them now.

Suddenly a volley of rounds fired in front of Paladin Raze, causing him to skit to a stop in order to avoid damage. He glared at the weapon owners and found himself facing a whole squad of what he presumed to be soldiers. Each had a firearm of some variety, with a matching black band wrapped around their right arm.

"Fucking cowards, Eris prey on all of you!" Raze shouted in rage. His fun was cut short.

"Who are you?" A voice commanded.

The voice belonged to a female wielding a Remington 870 shotgun. She held the weapon so the barrel pointed downwards at an angle while she observed the Regal party with her rustic eyes. Her dark blue BDUs were stained with some sort of powder around the knees.

Jaxon Chambers stepped forward and spoke up, "My name is Jaxon Chambers, and this is my party of friends. We come without the intent to cause any trouble." He began.

"Is that all? You guys seem organized to me, I doubt you are common scavengers. Especially if you survived this long." She squinted her eyes, keenly observing Jaxon.

"I never met a hostess who fails to greet and introduce her guests." Jaxon said with a silver tongue, hoping to appeal to the seemingly reasonable woman.

She failed to smile but replied, "My name is Ayame Inoue. That was my comrade your friend was trying to slice up." She narrowed her eyes at Thomas Raze.

"He was threatening to kill one of us. Would you have done anything different?" Jaxon countered, initiating a debate.

Ayame crossed her arms with her shotgun resting on top of her hands. "I probably would not have." She confessed.

Jaxon smiled a little bit at her honesty. It was a welcome change from the daily deceit he felt inside the Regal's walls. The sun began to descend and make the slow climb down. The heat was already starting to dissipate, and the Cicadas screeching was quieting.

"As I said Ayame we come with intentions of peace. If possible, we would like to sit down with whoever is in charge and work out some deals." He continued.

"What kind of deals?" She inquired.

"We wish to only disclose that information to your leader at this time. He can chose to share the information with whoever afterwards." Jaxon confirmed.

Ayame seemed almost pleased at his answer and nodded. "My squad and I will lead you guys to him. Let me warn you now, if any of you make any sudden movements or suggestive actions we will kill you on the spot." She said calmly but powerfully.

Jaxon glanced sideways at Lord Miyori. After a brief pause he nodded his head. Jaxon turned back towards Ayame and replied, "After you then."

Paladin Raze snorted but remained silent and obeyed the Founders party and their instructions. The rest of the party also followed suit while maintaining their eyes on the Founders. As the escort team guided them to their territory the rich aromas Carson first smelled in the alleyway started to flood everyone's nostrils. A couple stomachs grumbled in response causing a few of the Founders to chuckle.

Ayame was in front of the group carrying her shotgun tactfully as she turned on her short wave radio by pressing its button.

"Command, Lieutenant Inoue following up on the report of a foreign party. We have detained the party who claim they want to speak with Eric Dominic. Please pass this message along, over." She unclicked the button and waited for a response.

"Roger Lieutenant, proceed to head to the Town Square. We will patch through to you if anything changes, Command out." The static tuned out, signaling that the Command Center ended their transmission.

Ayame looked back and quickly glanced over the foreign group. They were gripping their weapons closely but made no efforts to attempt an attack.

'Perhaps this is the start of humanity's comeback?' She pondered.

The two parties made it to the gate where the Gatewatchers were already prepared to assist Ayame and her squad. They spread out wide and built a human wall between the guests and the curious citizens who began to amass. The onlookers pointed at the Regals and whispered among themselves.

Carson noted they held no obvious religion symbols like the Regals and was glad they did not. Last thing he wished to see was another crazed civilization praying to a foreign mythological character. Beside him Jaxon was whispering strategies to Lord Miyori. They discussed different approaches based on whatever character this Founder Leader was like.

Meanwhile Tomas Raze was surrounded with his devout Disciples, who maintained a constant eye on their surroundings. Their collective mission was to ensure Thomas's survival in the event they were betrayed by the savage Founders. Thomas walked in rhythm with them, a dark smile etched onto his sneering face.

'So many places, I wonder which one will yield more purification for these tainted savages?' He pondered as he observed the multiple buildings.

* * *

**Marketplace**

Felix stood bored behind his stall as he observed the sea of people swimming by. He only had a few people stop today and glance over his wares, with no transactions that favored him. He sighed heavily and debated if he should close shop for the day and just enjoy the rest of his evening.

A group of kids running past his stall caught his drifted attention and directed it on them. They were running full speed and chattering loudly, obviously excited about something. Around the stall others noticed and suddenly became fixated on the commotion, joining in on the kid's excitement.

Felix was extremely curious about what was happening and peered over his stand towards the main gate. A large group of soldiers were heading through the market at a brisk pace. Around every five seconds he noticed they would peer behind them briefly before returning to a scanning maneuver, observing their surroundings keenly.

Felix hurriedly close his shop, throwing the tattered tarp over his stall in a swift motion. Not giving the place a second look he stood beside a man reeking of alcohol and joined the crowd in the commotion. Together they watched an alert squad of Sentinels lead a unique group of individuals. What really stuck out to Felix was the crimson robed foreigners who seemed to be in a formation around an armored individual, and all of them had matching symbols on their attire.

'That's odd' Felix pondered.

Only a child would be entertained by some tribal-like symbols swirling in a pointless fashion." His good intellectual friend stated.

Felix spun around to meet his friend, a slightly terrified expression was breaking through his bored face.

"Yuuji! You scared me there for a second. And why are you sneaking up on me?!" His shouts coming more from his fear instead of being genuinely angry.

"Eric is calling for us at the Town Square. My intuition says it's for something regarding those characters." He informed Felix, his eyes observing the foreign group.

"First that mysterious individual we could never track down, and now a completely foreign group?" Felix audibly observed.

"Its raises concerns that need to be addressed formally. That is why we are meeting at the Town Square with Eric." Yuuji restated.

"If they need formal addressing they should just see you." Felix mumbled, teasing his friend.

Yuuji turned slightly crimson but pretended he heard nothing. "Well since you finished closing your stall, lets head over there." Yuuji suggested, walking behind the foreign group.

Felix laughed a little, breaking the bored expression that seemingly is molded to his face. He followed after his friend. Glancing above he saw a flock of birds flying in an impressive formation. They maintained it with perfect precision, dropping back to switch positions with other members. It was like an art to Felix.

'One day…' He pondered, zoning out into his own world again.

A few members of the escort party noticed the duo following them and quickly called out to them.

"Get back from this escort, citizens are not to intervene!" One yelled.

"We were asked by Eric to attend the meeting at the Town Square with him. This is the shortest and most logical route." Yuuji stated plainly.

"H-how did you know the location?" The more inexperienced solider asked.

'So my intuition was right' Yuuji tallied another mark in his personal "win" column.

"As I said, Eric informed us of all the details and asked us to join him." Yuuji restated again.

"Let them join us Mark, they have Eric's orders to follow like us." Ayame called from the front, her voice carrying its authoritative weight.

The two escorts quickly disengaged Felix and Yuuji, and returned to their original mission. Yuuji led Felix to the front of the caravan and joined Ayame. Mumbles of swears could be heard from Mark as they left them.

"You appear to control your squad members quite closely Ayame." Yuuji stated, eying her.

"These soldiers know what I expect and what they can expect." Was her short reply.

"It's quite elegant." Felix piped up, his stale voice ever so present.

Ayame gave a short laugh. "You two are quite a combo in a conversation."

"Excuse me, may I introduce myself?" A voice spoke from behind them.

Felix and Yuuji turned around and laid eyes on the individual who spoke. Seizing the moment he began before they could respond.

"My name is Lord Miyori, I serve as the Foreign Relations Lord for our community." He offered, sticking out his hand between the escorts.

The escorts thwarted his hand away and pushed him back into his group.

"Mr. Miyori, I would suggest not taking liberties with my men." Was all Ayame said.

He nodded in response, and retracted his efforts to introduce himself.

"Well met." Yuuji replied, almost to himself.

Several minutes later the group reached the Town Square. An impressive brick building dominated the center of the intersection. The bricks had a layer of heat haze (That blurry layer you sometimes see off objects when it's extremely hot) shimmering around them. A dark opening was stationed at the front of the building.

"Eric is inside waiting for you." Ayame announced to Lord Miyori.

She, along with her entire squad and the late duo, led the group inside. Almost instantly the air felt tremendously cooler. A blanket of darkness fell on everyone, and they had to wait several seconds until their eyes adjusted to the vast difference of lighting. Once inside the building, several escort members broke off and guarded the front entrance so no civilians could disturb their meeting.

The remaining party led the foreigners to the front of the Round Table, where all the Knights were present along with Eric. Ayame, Felix, and Yuuji stood over to the side while the other Sentinels transformed into a crescent moon formation around the Regals.

At this time Eric rose to his feet and addressed the Regal party. "You have come to our home uninvited, state your business so we can all hear." He commanded.

Thomas was beside himself with the tone, and scoffed. He was quickly dominated by Lord Miyori who spoke up. "We call ourselves Regals, my name is Lord Miyori. I serve the community and come today with this party to establish relations with you. Our intentions are peaceful." He responded.

"Are you the chosen spokesperson for this group, Lord Miyori?" The Lord part he purposely slandered.

Lord Miyori cringed, he was going to need some help with this task. He glanced over at Jaxon and nodded. Jaxon received the signal and spoke up.

"I will also be speaking on the behalf of our party." He stated.

"Doesn't matter I suppose. Now you claim to come in peace, but insist you keep your weapons?" Eric directed.

"For our personal safety, surely you would want to ensure your men where safe when exploring outside in the city." Lord Miyori stated.

"Ideally. Before we continue, I need an _honest_ answer from you. Are you trying to deceive us here? And I do mean be honest, because if so I will allow you to leave peacefully. But if not, well that's for your imagination to create. And let me tell you, the reality will be far worse." Eric said with a straight face, his words were dipped in promising venom.

From behind Lord Miyori Palidan Raze sneered happily.

'Is that so? Somebody has mommy issues…' He gave an inaudible chuckle.

"I promise you Eric, we mean no harm to you or your community. Our intentions are peaceful, we would all like to see an agreement reached with you." Jaxon said.

"Is it trade routes you are looking to secure, or an ally?" He asked.

"Both." Lord Miyori chimed in.

"And what is out there that you need an ally for?" Eric narrowed his eyes.

Lord Miyori cringed, and Jaxon tensed up. They just gave away valuable information to Eric without catching themselves. How they acted here would determine the course for the future.

Knowing all this Jaxon calmed himself, and began to explain.

"There is a possibility there are more groups like us present in Tokyo." Jaxon informed.

"A possibility? What makes you think that?" Eric asked.

Another landmine. Jaxon knew Eric could not know about the Founders they killed outside their gates several days before. He looked over at Lord Miyori for guidance. The Lord noticed his gaze and gave a nod.

'Here it goes'

"Our scouts have given us numerous reports about groups traversing the city. They were not our own members." Jaxon fabricated a lie which held some partial truth to it.

It was the High Lord and some scouts that found and captured the Founders group. What they did afterwards is another story.

"Were any of these groups ever dead when you found them?" Eric inquired.

"They were not." Jaxon confirmed, his tone carrying a confused expression.

Eric nodded, and suddenly he yawned. "Very well. May I ask we continue this tomorrow? I am very tired right now and wish to sleep. You company can sleep in the Humanity Tower we have here, under armed guard obviously."

Jaxon failed to hide his surprise but quickly regained his composure. "We humbly accept." He responded.

Again Eric nodded and signaled to Ayame to lead the group. She nodded and quickly formed her team in the escort formation, before leaving the Town Square's cover and entering the scorching heat. The sun remained merciless until the groups reached the Humanity Tower. Its long body stretched into the sky, piercing the skin of heaven.

"I will show you to your room." Ayame stated.

"Room?" Carson asked.

"Yes."

"Just a single room for all of us?"

"It's a big room."

Carson paled imagining himself stuck in any room with Thomas. He shuddered remembering the scene from Lord Miyori's office.

The group took the stairs since they were a large group. The building was miraculously cool thanks to the power being restored, allowing the A/C systems to operate and maintain a satisfactory level.

Eventually the group reached the fifth level which was where they were staying. Ayame led them right and then left, reaching a set of doors lined up in various intervals. At the second door Ayame stopped and turned around to the group.

"This will be your quarters for the night. As Eric said guards will be posted so don't get any funny ideas."

Lord Miyori nodded and said, "Thank you."

He then led his party into the room. Once everyone entered the room Ayame turned to her squad members.

"You guys know the drills, let's set the example for future reference." She ordered.

They all nodded and saluted before taking their proper places. Satisfied with their positioning Ayame informed the Team Leader she would be available on call through her radio. She was going to the Town Square to meet with Eric.

"Roger Ma'am!" The Team Leader saluted.

Pleased with the enthusiasm Ayame smiled and left for the town Square once again.

* * *

**Town Square**

Ayame arrived at the Town square roughly ten minutes later. The cool air inside washed the blistering heat off her body. The area was deserted except for Eric and Knight Hargo who sat at the Round Table waiting for her.

Ayame reached them and took a seat across from both individuals, creating a triangle if you were to draw straight lines to each of them. Knight Hargo was the first to speak.

"Eric I understand we charged you with the safety and protection of our community. However, you made this decision without the consulting the Round Table. Many are offended by this individualistic motion." He informed.

"I respect the Round Table and its position, however this matter could not be handled properly if I entrusted the final verdict to the Knights." He plainly said.

"What?!" Knight Hargo shouted.

Ayame intervened, "Please Hargo, remain calm and hear us out." She asked.

Hargo narrowed his eyes at her then Eric, but said nothing further. Eric knew he was waiting for an explanation and wasted no time.

"In my experience I have conducted and observed many missions where we dealt with MIA soldiers with the Air Force. In all those missions a captured enemy never confirmed if he saw the soldiers we were trying to find." Eric looked at Hargo who remained unmoved.

"You know why? They thought because they claimed ignorance and lied, they would be excused because of a lack of proof. They never told the truth because they feared what their superiors would to do their families, their loved ones, anything they held dear was threatened if they told the truth. And that is exactly what I heard from Jaxon today." He concluded.

Hargo started to understand what Eric meant. "When you first heard they were here, you assumed they would have ulterior motives." He deducted.

"Exactly. It's not a strike against you or the other Knights. I just seen it go wrong too many times where I was unable to bring my soldiers back home. I will not let it happen here. They know something about our missing squad, and I intend to get the info from them. If not, we will regard them as hostiles and stay on the alert." Eric decided.

Hargo rarely saw Eric this passionate about something and was moved. Although he was a rough individual, his heart cared deeply for those he loved and wished to protect. Hargo had no doubts he would succeed in his goals, and nodded to him.

"Very well, I will inform the Round Table of your reasons and take care of any civil uprisings. Good Luck Eric." He offered before he left the Round Table. Over his shoulder he called to Ayame.

"Keep your keen eyes on him Ayame." And smiled before exiting the building.

Ayame smiled at the conclusion of the discussion and turned to Eric.

"Well Commander, what now?"

"Now we wait until morning Lieutenant."

* * *

Back inside the cramped room the Regals were dividing their given space to accommodate all their members. Paladin Raze opted for him and his Disciples to have the far left corner. He promptly began to indulge in vulgar actions with his Disciples. Thankfully they could not speak, so it was relatively inaudible for everyone else present.

The Crusaders spread out along the right wall and looked over their weapons and chatted amongst themselves. Carson, Jaxon, and Lord Miyori occupied the far right corner and began to discuss the Town Square discussion with Eric.

"It went well I think." Carson offered.

"I am unsure, his behavior was rather odd." Jaxon pondered, his hand resting on his chin.

"Indeed, I think something came up during the talk." Lord Miyori confirmed with Jaxon.

"It was right after his question about the groups being dead." Jaxon recalled.

"I wonder what the connection is." Carson pondered, trying to fit into the conversation.

"There is no guarantee his behavior is directly related to Jaxon's answer. For now we will be better off leaving the topic alone and seeing what happens in the morning." Lord Miyori stated.

Carson retracted sheepishly, embarrassed he was shot down so quickly without a second thought. Jaxon meanwhile nodded and announced he was going to catch some sleep. Lord Miyori agreed with Jaxon's plan and found himself a spot on the floor where he crashed.

Carson suddenly felt alone inside the giant room. A silver light illuminated the space in front of the window, offering a salvation for him. He slithered along the floor until he reached a spot filled with the shimmering light. Carson located his Bible inside his stitched bag located on his left hip.

For the remaining hours until sleep consumed him he read and sometimes re-read the passages located inside. The words offered him his answers, and gave him guidance. Under the silver light offered from Artemis a miracle of sorts was blossoming. The hidden flower was reaching a new stage, its petals bleeding a crimson river that flowed with a promise of what was to come.

After everyone was asleep the beast rose from its fabricated slumber. Thomas's grey eyes scanned the floor observantly. Detecting no sounds except the noisy snores of his fellow Regals he quickly pounced on the sleeping prey.

Silently he rose to a crouching position and awoke his most trusted Disciple. Her name was as existing as her voice. His rough shake quickly snared her attention and she silently rose to match his position. He knew he could communicate with her through eye contact, and chose to rely on this tactic for the remainder of his plan.

A small sneer slithered onto his face. He glanced down at his set of armor that was lying on the floor beside them. Without it, his true nimble movements could become part of his arsenal. It was an unknown fact about Thomas that he possessed an amazing grace in his feet. Traversing the darkness without alerting anyone would be a trivial matter for him.

Naturally the posted guards would be a cause for concern, however he had an idea for that too. His sneer only escalated as he locked eye contact with his Disciple, then shifted his eyes to the door. She immediately knew what the benevolent Goddess Eris's wish was. A small smile slipped onto her lips as she silently approached the door.

Thomas followed closely behind her. When they reached the door she slipped into the hallway. Immediately the two guards who were guarding the doorway approached her. In a sudden movement she was interlocked with one of them, her tongue already piercing his mouth in a dominating manner. Her left hand was quickly fondling the other's more pleasurable regions, seducing him into her web.

From there the two men fell into her embrace. She led them into another room and closed the door. Her role was now complete, and Thomas could begin his mission.

He silently slithered into the hallway and turned right, remembering a sign he saw as Ayame was leading them. Two minutes later he found the sign on a door.

**-Employees Only-**

He fumbled with the door handle and opened the door. A series of pipes decorated the room, with a single beam fused into the floor and ceiling. Exactly what the beast was searching for. He reached into his loose shirt and found the Purity Device.

"I will release these impure savages from their sins." He softly swore to himself and began to fumble with the beam.

"Savages? That's not what you are supposed to call a cute lady Mister." A slightly annoyed voice called from behind him.

Thomas spun on heel, his heart skipping a beat. In front of him was a short figure obscured inside the darkness. From the tone he sensed the figure may be a female, but he was unsure. The shadows could hide anything when it was this dense.

"Who the fuck are you? One of those guards outside?" Thomas spat.

"Guard? Sweetie don't be so silly. I am a beautiful girl that seduces any man to do her fancy. I saw you stalking around like a predator and got curious is all." She sang.

"You impure bitch!" Thomas yelled while closing the distance to the figure. He shot his right hand out to wrench her neck.

To his surprise his calculated strike missed entirely. A swift kick sent him into the wall. Thomas slammed into the wall and was rocked for a second. A powerful lock sealed his lips, the surprise bliss caught Thomas off guard.

In the moment Thomas found himself relaxing from her spell. Suddenly a violent pain tore through his bottom lip. He shoved the girl away and found himself free.

"Fuck!" He reached up to his lips and felt a warm substance. A sudden happiness coursed through Thomas.

"You impure savage! How much I would love to tame that savagery and make you one of my Disciples." He shouted happily.

"Slow down boy. That's only a taste of what I can do for you. How about we make a deal?" Her crimson smile was hidden in the dense shadows, but even still it burned bright.

* * *

The next morning the Regal party awoke at sunrise. Ayame was pounding on the door loudly, calling for them. Jaxon was the first to rise from his slumber and maneuver to the door. He briskly opened it and confronted Ayame.

"Will Eric be seeing us today?" He asked.

"That's why I am here…Jaxon, wasn't it?" She asked.

Jaxon gave a small smile. "Nailed it."

Ayame gave no hints of amusement from the sudden informal shift and continued. "I will return in five minutes ready to escort you guys back to the Town Square. Please inform your companions about the plan."

Jaxon nodded and watched Ayame return down the hallway. He failed to figure out how she thought about everything. He gave a small sigh and closed the door. Most of the Regals inside heard the conversation and were already preparing.

"She remembered your name, eh Jax?" One of the soldiers joked.

"Hopefully that's not all she remembers." Jaxon winked.

The solider froze with a look of bewilderment on his face.

"So you did sneak off with her last night!" He confessed.

"What? No I was joking mate." Jaxon corrected.

"Oh…I could've sworn someone left. Must've been a dream."

Jaxon pondered the idea of a late night adventure after the conversation but shortly gave up.

'Nothing changed this morning so it really doesn't matter even if it's true' He decided.

* * *

Several minutes later Ayame rounded up the Regals and led them back towards the Town Square. Carson made a silent prayer along the way. Jaxon devised a plan with Lord Miyori so they could close the deal today. Thomas's behavior was abnormal as he hummed an unfamiliar tune the entire trip.

From a windowsill at Humanity Tower an older couple well in their years watched the two parties depart. Eleven minutes later both parties arrived at the Town Square. A strong wind blew through the streets, whipping up every loose object in its gale. A lone bird chirped from somewhere close, its beautiful voice drowned by the wind.

The older couple remained fixated at the Tower, curious what would happen between them and the foreigners.

Ayame and her squad led the Regals inside the cool building. Both factions took their same positions from the previous day. At the Round Table every member was present. Every face was solemn before Eric, who observed his visitors with a frozen fury.

Before Jaxon or Lord Miyori could greet their hosts he spoke up.

"Yesterday I recall informing you about my rule in regards to telling the truth." He began.

"Yes that is correct Eric." Lord Miyori confirmed.

"I find it remarkable that you can give an honest answer now, but failed to do so yesterday." Eric slandered.

Lord Miyori locked up almost instantly.

'He knows…?' He paled.

"You will be leaving this place shortly, but before you do I want some answers." Eric continued.

"Who is responsible for the deaths of my soldiers?" He asked honestly with a hardened expression.

Jaxon and Lord Miyori glanced at each other. Suddenly a voice arose from their group.

"Our leader did." Carson announced.

"Carson!" Lord Miyori shouted at him.

"It seems there is one truthfully honest member of your party. From now on he is the only one to speak." Eric demanded.

"Eric you cannot-" Lord Miyori started before a shotgun cocking interrupted his words.

Glancing over he saw the end of a barrel horizontal to his skull. Ayame had her weapon firmly planted into her shoulder, a stern glare now illustrated her face.

"Don't interrupt this discussion Lord Miyori." She plainly said.

Her hardened eyes were that of a trained soldier. Her actions and reactions would hold true to her threats. Lord Miyori knew he had to play along with Eric's directions.

"Now Carson, what happened to my soldiers?" Eric asked.

Carson told Eric and everyone else present about the events surrounding their missing soldiers. He explained how the Regals were trying to defend themselves from their attackers, and ultimately killed them in order to avenge their own losses. No one interrupted him during the several minutes he spent explaining the situation.

Carson finished with a huff. His head was burning like a furnace, his palms sweating ponderously. He slowly glanced around himself. Everyone continued to remain silent. The silence was unnerving to Carson and he began to worry.

"Thank you. You may go now in peace." Eric stated.

The entire Regal party glanced up at him in suspended confusion. They were unsure if he actually meant his words.

"Ayame please guide them back to the gates. For now I will need to consult with the members of our leadership before I can give you an answer. Please return in a weeks' time." Eric asked.

Lord Miyori nodded and thanked him for hosting them. After several other formalities were finished between the two parties Ayame returned to leading them. Outside on the streets several Founders gathered and watched them with remote interest. Everyone was awaiting an answer.

The gates appeared in front of the groups' vison. A sudden happiness swarmed the Regals after seeing the gate. Soon they would be home and able to rest peacefully.

Under his armor Thomas fiddled with a certain device. An ominous smile smeared across his face as he located the button on the device.

'Blessing to you my Merciless Queen Mother." He happily prayed and pressed the button.

From the ninth floor on the Humanity Tower the older couple continued to watch over the community. They were happy together and looked forward to the years to come. From beneath them an immense behemoth roared under them.

Their footing became dislodged from the violent tremors firing beneath them. The older man tragically fell forward in the sudden event. His loved one helplessly watched his frozen terror disappear behind their home-made patio's safety wall.

Her terrifying screams were drowned by the sudden explosion beneath her. Concrete and glass shards shredded her frail body. Her bones were crushed as she was smashed against the side of the building. Her soul trapped inside the roller-coaster of misery.

In those few seconds the couple experienced together every onlooker watched in a suspended horror. From everywhere in the district every Founder witnessed the Humanity Tower suddenly collapsing. A giant explosion rocked the right side, sending numerous pieces skyward. A vicious flame began on the origin floor, trapping everyone above inside the broken building. From the ground floor a mayhem of people evacuated the building. Many were lost in the violent trampling happening just outside the doors.

A rush of people came to the building in hopes of rescuing the survivors. However, the top portion of the building began to slide towards the right where the explosion originated. In several agonizing moments the portion collapsed on itself. It's severed limb crashing into the streets.

A mother scooped up her child and began running away. The child's naïve eyes observantly watched behind her and saw the broken cries coming from his fellow man. The building's dislodged limb crushed these Founders in a trampling embrace. The child's eyes became dim as a broken piece of concrete flew from the impact and impaled his mother's back. The violent impact crushed both of their ribs and sent them crashing into the ground.

Eric quickly rushed outside and started to shout out orders.

"What the fuck was that?" He screamed.

His eyes quickly found the source of the commotion and he paled.

"No…" He fell to his knees as he watched every tragic event unfold at the Humanity Tower.

Ayame's voice came over the radio.

"Commander! We need to get everyone evacuated from the area of Humanity Tower. I am requesting all available Sentinels to help with the evacuation!"

Eric replied to his Lieutenant, "I think its them Ayame." He mumbled out.

"Who? The Regal party?" She asked questioningly.

"What floor do you think the initial explosion was from?"

"I-I am not sure to be honest."

"Where are they now?" Eric asked.

"They are righ-" A volley of gunfire and other loud noises roared over Ayame's end.

"Ayame!" Eric screamed into the radio.

"The noise continued until the frequency went to static. Eric cursed loudly and threw his radio into the ground. He quickly gathered a group of Sentinels from the area and ran over to the gate in search of Ayame.

Over by the gate chaos ensued the Regal party. Following the explosion multiple Sentinels in the area opened fire on the Regals. The Crusaders returned fire while assisting the other members to escape. Jaxon had his Beretta M9 drawn from its holster and was also returning fire. Paladin Raze was leading the retreating party through the last street with his crimson blade

"It wasn't us, stop firing!" Carson cried out to the Sentinels.

Carson was dragged behind a wall by Lord Miyori. "They wont listen to reason Carson. That Tower we were just in collapsed! You realize what they must think dont you?"

Carson realized what Lord Miyori was trying to say. "Ye-Yea I got it."

"Good, now we gotta get out of here son before we are killed. We can reason with them in a weeks time." Lord Miyori consoled.

Carson nodded to him. Now that both were on the same page about the situation they left their cover behind the wall and quickly caught up with their comrades in the street.

Thomas swiftly slaughtered anyone who came remotely close to them. His strong armor was able to successfully deflect any bullets fired at him. His Disciples also assisted him by slinging throwing blades at rooftops where Founders were firing at them.

Raze's cold grey eyes shined brightly as the crimson flow of his blade severed a savage's hand. He promptly finished the man with a quick stab through the chest. The fading light of the man's eyes gave a certain fulfilling to Thomas.

Thomas laughed happily and scanned the area. They were roughly fifty meters away from the gates now. The rows of buildings narrowed the path making their retreat manageable. If the space was wider they could've been easily overtaken by now. Suddenly he spot a flash through a nearby window and smiled greedily.

Thomas looked around and located Lord Miyori closely behind him. He swiftly doubled back to him.

"Let's make a run for it! The gates are straight ahead." He carefully orchestrated.

Lord Miyori looked ahead and tried to make an assessment. "Lets wait to we get closer before we take off."

A volley of bullets flew over their heads, destroying a window behind them.

"I don't think we have that much time. Now or never!" Thomas roared.

Thomas then grabbed his shoulders and threw him ahead of himself. Lord Miyori stumbled and tried to stop, however Thomas utilized his strength and continued to keep pushing him forward. A group of Sentinels stormed onto a rooftop in front of them.

"Look out!" Thomas yelled and slammed Lord Miyori into the wall next to a window.

Thomas then covered Lord Miyori's body with his armored shell, blocking and deflecting every bullet the rooftop group fired. Lord Miyori never seen Thomas risk his health for anyone before, and was truly moved by his selfless action.

"Paladin Raze, thank you-" An explosive pain tore through his chest before he could finish.

He glanced down and saw a gleaming steel blade protruding from his pectoral area. Almost instantly he felt his strength being drained from his body. Lord Miyori tried to turn his head behind him to see his attacker. However, the sound of Thomas's laughter consumed his attention. He quickly turned his head to Thomas and paled.

Before him Thomas had a true expression of happiness and gratitude.

"I saved the Regals! Now we can never have relations with these savages!" He cried in a soliloquy of accomplishment.

"I held up my end of our deal now. Just keep making things interesting and we will be square Raze darling." An unfamiliar voice to Lord Miyori stated.

"Oh I will Janet. I wish you would join us back at my place. I have very many _interesting_ things we could do." He said in a disgustingly cunning tone.

"Maybe later, I have more things I need to attend here. So many girls I still need to devour." She giggled fervently.

Janet then pulled the blade from Lord Miyori's chest and seemingly vanished without a hint of her presence. Thomas spotted the rest of the party closing in and ran over to them in order to intercept them.

"The Lord has been hit! We need to keep moving in order to escape alive and inform the High Lord of these savage's atrociousness!" He feigned anger.

"What?!" Jaxon and Carson both shouted almost simultaneously.

Carson was the first to spot Lord Miyori and tried to reach him. However, Thomas's outstretched hand stopped in place.

"Let me see the Lord!" Carson raged, struggling to break through Paladin Raze's blockade.

"He is dead Carson! We need to get out of here before we lose anyone else!"

"But Shakur and Tsukino! What will happen to them now that h…he is dead?" Carson broke down in a violent tears. He never realized how much he cared for the late Lord until now.

'Why now? Dear God why?' He prayed through his tears, his head starting to pound.

"Carson we need you to get a hold of yourself! Our Goddess Eris needs you with us right now!" Thomas shouted at him.

The manufactured pained tone was swiftly converting everyone else to his rational plan, playing on their fear of death and desire to live. Eventually Carson gave up and retreated with the group, his broken tears carved a path behind him. He cared little for the "Goddess Eris" and whatever else Paladin Raze was spewing. He gave one last look at the lifeless form of Lord Miyori before running through the smokey haze and bullets with the others.

Several more minutes of small-scale warfare was required in order to break through the gate. In total the Regals lost almost all their Crusaders and Lord Miyori during the retreat.

Ayame managed to regain control of the district and met up with Eric. They immediately began to plan an offensive plan, dispatching their Sentinel scouts after the Regal party.

Mikiel, who was hidden during the combat, was propped against a wall. Everything was in shambles around him. Nearby the Humanity Tower collapsed and sent debris everywhere. Countless were dead, even more were unaccounted for. A thick mist of ash and dust swirled around the community. Breathing the poisonous fumes was regrettable for the individual who chose to, a violent fit befell anyone who did.

"That was her wasn't it? I swear it was her, but if so then why was she just talking to that armored guy? And why did she stab that man?" He grabbed his throbbing head and tried to make sense of everything he just girl that he ran into on the street several days ago flashed through his head.

'I swear it was her just now.'

* * *

**Street**

Lord Miyori analyzed what just happened to him. Paladin Raze's betrayal was an unforeseen act against the Regals. The bastard was too deep into the "Goddess Eris" cult to understand the importance of this agreement with the Founders. Lord Miyori considered he should've predicted this event being a possibility, and blamed himself for the following consequences of his negligence.

He gazed into the heavens above him and pondered what just happened. He knew he was going to die here on a foreign street, far away from his children. Their smiling faces flashed through his mind at a blinding speed. One moment it was Shakur hitting his first pitch in a baseball game. The next was Tsukino holding up her drawing of all three of them together, the childish strokes of crayon creating her first masterpiece. A tear trickled down his left eye as he fondly remembered the memories of his children.**  
**

'I wish I could've done more for them; show them more of this world; spend more time with the; and watch them grow up into the beautiful people they will become...' He thought sadly as a single tear fell down his face.

He felt his body almost lifting from the ground. The airy feeling filled him with relief. The numerous pains he was feeling began to dissipate. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the numerous memories he had of his family. Mostly from before the outbreak and the Regals, back when things were simpler and everyone was happier.

'Why did everything turn out this way...' His conscious disappeared into a dreamy state. He left the ground and ascended into the next world, his memories disappearing into the sun.

Lord Miyori gave a small smile before he drew his last breath. The sun continued to shine down on him, preserving his spirit in its rays.

* * *

**First blood!  
**

I wonder what will happen now? I mean I do know (kinda) but what do you guys think? And where are the Apostles in all of this?! Oh wait, I know that too. I guess you guys will have to wait and see ;)

P.S. What about those new Marauders?! Sure you only gotten to see one of them this chapter, but I assure you there is a method to my madness. The others will become superstars in this maddening war before you know it!

**As always please send in those reviews and let me know your thoughts, what I could work on, characters you enjoyed, scenes I described(both well and terrible), and how you felt about the pacing of the chapter. I am trying to find the tuning I need for every chapter. **


	7. An Omen

Hey guys! Rotto here delivering another chapter of Warring States! I know some of you been waiting for the Apostles to come back into the spotlight, so here they are! Mind there are two additional OCs making their appearance. Like the Marauders, they are coming on the back of the complete OC list.

**Additional announcements!**

Along with "Warring States" I am engaging in two other projects with notable authors of the SYOC realm. The SYOC applications will be posted on these author's profiles, so keep an eye out for them. Both concepts are compelling and bound to be exciting all the way through. The authors are Lazersword88 and ShinBP, so please make sure you check out their profiles regularly in the coming days for the applications!  


Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I was blown back from the amount of feedback I received. A record! It really made my day (A lot of days since they were spread out) so thank you everyone who reviewed :) I know this chapter will show some elements of my writing that I haven't showcased a lot. I hope the slight change in gears is an enjoyable experience :)

Also! The results in the poll are in. Everyone voted in favor for pairings to be included in this story. So OC submitters, if you have any ideas or preferences please PM me so we can discuss your OC's love life.

* * *

**Outside the Sports Complex**

"Pass me the rock!"

The ball was blasted towards him at a blinding speed. Luckily his large hands were able to snare the beast and tame it into a docile position. He had a wide open basket before him and carefully took aim. With his elbows fixed in his shooting stance he released the ball with perfect grace, flicking his wrist flexibly. The ball soared in a near perfect arc and only swayed the netting slightly as it swooshed through.

"Nice swish!" His teammate shouted and high-five him as they jogged back to their end of the court.

The sun burned harshly above the players, flooding the court with its merciless breath. The court was filled with sweat as the two teams played against each other. It was like a war, both sides gaining the advantage and then losing it due to someone's heroism on a play. It was exhausting, and by the end of the match both sides were near total exhaustion.

After the game Makoto walked towards the change room. He wiped his brow with his forearm causing the slimy fluids to stick to his skin. His shirt was plastered onto his body from all the sweat. He pulled on its seems and began to air out himself.

"Would you like a water?"

Makoto turned around and found himself staring into a pair of sparkling blue eyes.

"Aren't you the desk helper from a few days ago?" Makoto asked.

Natsumi blushed slightly. "Yes my name is Natsumi."

"Thanks for the water Natsumi." Makoto said with a smile, accepting her gift.

Natsumi continued to blush, "If you need anything just swing by the desk. I'll be there." And she started to run back into the building.

Her left foot crossed over her right foot, causing her to crash into the ground.

"Ouch…" She groaned as she tried to pick herself up. She hated how much of a klutz she was.

A pair of gentle hands interwove with her hands before lifting her up. She was now inches from Makoto's face, trapped in his gaze.

"You should be more careful Natsumi. I would hate to see you get hurt." He said calmly.

"U-uh yea, no problem I can do that for sure, like for sure for sure." She rambled helplessly.

"Right. That would be for the best." Makoto confirmed and entered the Sports Complex through the double doors.

Natsumi sighed heavily and glanced back to where Makoto was standing. For a few moments she stood unmoving, lost in her thoughts.

'Oh man was I too obvious? I was wasn't I? Stupid idiot me!" She tormented herself.

Suddenly a small hand clamped on her shoulder.

"Waahh!" Natsumi cried out.

"He was so totally cute! And you guys…! Wow so cute, are you going to ask him out yet?!" The stranger bombarded her with girly questions.

"Who are you?" Natsumi managed to ask through her embarrassment.

"My name is Abigail Helen Fraser, but you can just call me Abby." The girl replied with a smile.

Natsumi was able to turn around and get a good look at the new girl. Her face was rounded out with an average nose and a small mouth. Her skin was graced with a smooth, soft texture. A set of hawkish brown eyes gleamed at her expectedly. A burning flame of rose hair was cropped on top of her head, falling short below her ears.

"Wow…you're so pretty!" Natsumi exclaimed.

"Really? I was hoping to borrow your skin for a bit so I can pick up a hot date." Abby replied monotony.

Natsumi paled. "Umm…what?"

"Just kidding!" Abby laughed manically, playing off her rather ominous humor.

"Oh! Thank goodness…" Natsumi replied.

"Hey, I know we just kinda met and all but I want to hang out with you if you're free. You know, so I can evaluate that skin of yours for my hot date." Abby winked.

"Umm..well I am off for the rest of the day but-" Natsumi began.

"Fantastic! Its too hot out here so lets go inside." She sang, grabbing Natsumi by the arm and dragging her towards the double doors.

The two went inside together and grabbed a drink from the counter before sitting in the lounge area. Abby was convinced she could help Natsumi with her "romantic problems" as she called it. Personally Natsumi felt she could handle the situation on her own, but Abby was fiercely persistent.

Natsumi began to look over Abby now that they were face to face. Abby was quite tall for a girl, shy of six foot by only one inch. She claimed her parents were both pretty tall, although she did not mention anything else about them after that. Natsumi also noticed Abby had two tattoos, one on her wrist which was the Tree of Life. An ominous snake decorated her neck as well.

The two had been sitting with each other for a while chatting about various things.

"So you want to document humanity's new beginning Abby?" Natsumi asked.

"Yes. It's my passion to capture the struggles and challenges we face and how we overcome the zombies."

"You say it like its actually possible…" Natsumi doubted.

"You don't think it's possible?"

"The odds are certainly not in our favor."

"Neither is living, but you somehow been able to manage that." Abby pointed out.

Natsumi had nothing to counter the statement with, so she remained silent. Due to the awkwardness she fiddled with her skirt, crossing over her left leg to give her right a break. She caught Abby doing something similar, adjusting her bra hidden under her violet tank top.

Abby attempted to break the silence, "So you work here in the Sports Complex?"

"Yes, it's the only job I been able to manage. The others I was too clumsy and just caused a lot of problems for everyone else." Natsumi recalled sadly.

"Do you like it here?"

"It's okay I guess." Natsumi shrugged.

"Helps with that hottie always around though, right?" Abby winked.

Natsumi blushed. Abby laughed whole-heartily at her new friend's embarrassment.

At this time Makoto exited the men's change room and began approaching past them. Abby nudged Natsumi and pointed towards Makoto secretly so he would not notice her gesture.

Panic seized Natsumi who in turn leaned in close and whispered to Abby, "What do I do?"

"Follow my lead." Abby winked.

Suddenly Abby stood up in front of Makoto just as he reached them. In a dramatic fashion she squeezed her hands against her face and cried out, "Oh no!"

Makoto stopped and looked around at the two. "Is everything okay?" He asked earnestly.

"Oh thank goodness you are here stranger! I just realized I need to go and take care of my little brother tonight. The idiot probably tried to sneak off again and peek on the girls. But you see my cute friend here just learned her grandmother passed away earlier today. I cannot stay here and watch over her, but can you? Yes I know you will because you're a gentleman!" She dramatically carried on, dragging Makoto to a seating position across from Natsumi.

"Err…" Makoto tried to begin but was drowned out by Abby's soliloquy.

"Yes that's great, thank you! Your name stranger?"

"Makoto Hiroshi…but please I can't b-"

"Great to meet you Makoto! Please take care of my friend while I search for my older brother."

"I thought he was your younger brother?" Makoto pointed out.

"Bye Bye Natsumi! See ya soon!" Abby called out and left the building in a rush. She shot a wink to Natsumi right before she disappeared.

The two glanced at each other and remained silent. Natsumi was completely embarrassed at her friend's crazy behavior. She could not believe Abby said all those preposterous things just to trick Makoto.

'Seriously that girl…' Natsumi thought.

"I'm sorry about your grandmother." Makoto offered awkwardly.

"Oh, yea thanks." Natsumi responded, her tone dry of any emotion. The embarrassment was still overwhelming.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but you don't seem that sad about it." Makoto stated, his eyes staring at her puzzlingly.

"Oh! Yea, she wasn't really family ya know?" Natsumi improvised.

"Oh you mean like she was one of those family members who never treated you like family, but still expected you to call them family." Makoto offered.

Natsumi produced a wavering smile, "Yea exactly."

"In that case I know exactly what you mean."

"You do?"

"I had a uncle who was a drug addict. Really heavy into all sorts of nasty poisons. He was always like that since I could remember, and I would only see him on the holidays. That is, if he wasn't spending the night in the drunk tank or at some crack house. Shortly after I started college here he called me one day, asking for money. Claimed it was for an investment plan he was trying to jump start. I figured it wasn't for any investment plan so I told him no, I wouldn't give him any money." Makoto paused so he could calm himself before he continued.

"Then the smug bastard started yelling at me, going on and on about treating family right and taking care of them. I was getting so furious listening to his pathetic hypocritical speech that I started yelling back at him. I asked him where he was last Thanksgiving, and the one before that. What about Christmas? I asked him why he ruined his life, and hurt his family with his destructive habit. I just went on and on, releasing all the hatred I built over the years." Makoto confessed.

Natsumi was completely intrigued by Makoto's story. She was listening closely to every detail he explained and found herself emphasizing with him. His story was so compelling, she could just feel his pain through listening to his tone and pronunciation.

'Here I am making him tell me all these painful memories over a lie' She thought guiltily.

"But anyways, sorry about all that ranting. I just get worked up over family sometimes. As I was saying, I understand what you mean about your grandmother not being 'family'."

"Yea..." Natsumi said, trying to figure out what to say after all that.

The two remained silent for a while, both trying to figure out where to go next. Makoto and Natsumi exchanged looks a few times before breaking into their own laughing fits. For a few moments they kept laughing, causing the others around them to take notice at their odd behavior. Natsumi had to wipe the tears from her eyes a few times during the laughing spell.

"So your name is Natsumi? You work the counter here right?" Makoto asked.

The bells of heaven rang brilliantly for Natsumi who completely focused on Makoto's words with a burning face.

"Yes! That's me!" She said frivolously. Immediately she internally groaned at herself and her overbearing reply to such a simple set of questions.

Makoto smiled mischievously. "You seem to stress yourself a lot Natsumi."

"Oh! Sorry about that. I kinda just get overexcited you could say."

"You get overexcited when you talk to me?" Makoto asked, his mischievous smile spreading across his face prominently.

"Whaa..?" Natsumi squeaked as her face blown into a crimson red.

Makoto started laughing happily waving her off. "Sorry for asking such an odd question suddenly. I just wanted to see that expression." He continued to laugh as Natsumi turned even redder.

"Let me make it up to you next week, okay?" Makoto asked suddenly.

Natsumi's head turned on a swivel, her eyes locked into Makoto's blue orbs.

"Wait do you mean..?" She asked hopelessly. Surely she got the wrong idea stuck inside her head.

"Meet me here at the same time in a week." Makoto winked and got up. He then left the Sports Complex.

Natsumi remained behind trapped in a total trance. Her brain ceased functioning after Makoto's devious wink.

'What does that mean!?' She fumed happily. But then she remembered that Makoto only began talking to her because of a lie.

'I'm such a terrible person.' Natsumi thought bitterly.

A half hour later Abby returned to the table where Natsumi still remained silently focused.

"Where's the hottie?" She asked.

"Waah!" Natsumi screamed from shock.

"Wooah! You okay?" Abby cried out, equally as shocked as her friend.

"Oh hey Abby! You kinda surprised me, but anyways I gotta thank you for your stunt earlier. Makoto and I now have plans for next week." She sang happily, still with a hint of guilt.

Abby remained silent as she started jotting something down. Natsumi soon realized what her friend was doing and watched curiously.

"What are you writing down?"

"It's for my documentary on humanity's rebirth."

"Oh that's cool. What exactly just happened that you need to record?" Natsumi asked questionably.

Abby smiled deviously and turned the notebook towards her friend.

Natsumi began reading her entry, "On this day Natsumi and Makoto confirmed their love for each other and prepared their souls and bodies for their eminent future…and children…" Natsumi's voice trailed off.

Abby started cracking up uncontrollably.

Natsumi screamed out angrily, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

* * *

**Inside Brandon's Room**

_Brandon Rodack stood silently in front of the President's desk. An exquisite blue banner fell down perfectly straight from the ceiling just behind the President. It stretched down past the closed window directly behind the desk, almost like a backdrop for a drama play. He was still wondering why he was called today and waited patiently. _

_The President finished writing something and placed his pen down. He stretched backwards into his chair and yawned. _

"_Thank you for coming Brandon. My advisers tell me you have a natural talent for leading "soldiers" in combat. You possess a calm demeanor and act appropriately to all tested scenarios. I want to congratulate your progress." The President stood up and offered his hand._

_Brandon shook his hand firmly. The President smiled and motioned for him to take a seat. Brandon sat down in the oak chair covered in red velvet cushion. The soft surface was a welcoming break for his exhausted legs. _

"_I have not only called on you just to congratulate you. In fact, this is also a promotion for you, if you accept of course." _

_Brandon's demeanor perked up at the sound of promotion. It was the news he was waiting to hear for a while. _

"_I want you to use your strength to lead our people safely. I fear a war is approaching and we need to be prepared for whatever comes. I want to be far away from this conflict, and for every Apostle to be spared from this mindless bloodshed." _

"_Sir, you mean there are others out there?" Brandon asked surprised. _

"_Yes, but they are not like us. They are all different, all looking to erase the others from existence." _

"_But how do you know?"_

"_I seen it. Or rather, our scouts did. An entire tower blown up, hundreds probably killed. A fleeing group sporting unheard symbols in blood on their clothes. An entire episode was witnessed by our most trusted soldiers. How would that not be enough to understand the situation?" _

_Brandon remained silent. _

Brandon watched the ceiling silently. His mind wandered back to earlier today. He knew the President was acting in the best interest of everyone. However, he was misguided about the solution. Brandon had a feeling this war would eventually reach them and grab them by their necks, pulling them into the issue itself. War was an inevitable thing that seemed to drag everyone into its bloody broken hands.

He glanced over to his nightstand where a leather-covered book rest. Inside the pages contained invaluable knowledge of a man who was no longer with Brandon. The ink carvings were the only mementos he had of Brown, who was like a mentor for Brandon. Although Brandon never met he guy, he just knew this Brown was a survivalist whose experiences and knowledge saved Brandon's life more than once in this crazy environment.

"_Sam! Dean! Where the hell are you guys?" Brandon screamed out, rushing to the old pickup. Behind him the disgusting snarls of the undead became closer with every rushing step. Brandon reached the driver's side and fumbled with the door handle. He quickly opened the door and climbed inside, shutting the door with all his frightened strength. _

_A ghoulish face smashed into the window, sending a jolt up his spine. With fine-tuned motor skills Brandon was able to remain composed and slide the keys into the ignition. With a quick turn of his wrist the engine roared to life. He quickly shifted the gears into reverse and pulled out of the parking lot, turning violently while sending the zombie on his side flying. In the rear-view mirror he saw the others chasing toward him at an alarming speed. He quickly shifted gears again and sped off down the road, continuing to head west._

_A few hours later he was still driving. He realized how much quieter it was without his two co-workers beside him in the pickup. The silence was beginning to become unbearable to him. Without thinking he began to rummage through the truck's compartments. Upon opening the glove box he discovered a leather-covered book. Inside the pages were covered with various knowledge, from hunting to basic farming skills. Every note was marked with "Brown", who Brandon began to believe was the author of the entire journal. _

"I wonder where you are now Brown?" Brandon spoke out, mainly to himself.

The walls were solid concrete, as were the rest of the rooms inside the dormitories. A rustic yellow carpet was spread out covering only half the room. The individual rooms were rather tiny in comparison to an average bedroom. Luckily Brandon did not have to share the space with anyone else, so he never complained.

The only furniture in the room was a bed, a wooden bedroom, and a set of black plastic shelves stacked in a row along the left wall. A light bulb installed in the ceiling provided decent illumination for the room, although Brandon preferred to keep it turned off during the day.

It was another day where Brandon would wait for his next set of orders. Over the past week he finished the basic training regimen of his squad. So far they were looking pretty good considering the trauma that was prevalent in some of them. The outbreak was a heavy burden on the young souls of the college students. At first Brandon thought they would be at a disadvantage, but he was quickly being surprised by the aptitude of his squad.

A young Turkish exchange student showed great promise with optics, being able to sight in a target accurately from three-hundred yards away. While another who was a local from the area is able to handle the heavier weapons with relative ease.

The biggest asset of the squad was Yuuki Tachibana. Brandon had his doubts when he first met her due to her small size and seemingly frail body. However, he quickly noticed Yuuki's caring personality and ability to console others. She was also incredibly fast, able to run distances with little fatigue. Her strength could be improved, but that will be dealt with in the future.

His squad is combat-ready, and he made sure he told the President that. If they are needed in the future he knows they will make a difference in whatever conflict comes for them. Ever since he began working at the grocery store following his service in the USAF he found himself searching for a deeper meaning in his life…

A knock on his door awoke him from his day dream. He quickly left his bed and opened the door.

The familiar sharp amber eyes met his gaze.

"What is it Yuuki?"

"I want you to teach me how to handle stress." She said honestly, averting her gaze.

"Uh..what?" Brandon asked confused.

"How to handle stress…you know like…well like being pregnant." Yuuki answered awkwardly.

"You're pregnant?!" Brandon asked, completely shocked.

"What? NO! Nooooo! Where would you get an idea like that?" She asked, completely aloof to her previous statement.

"You don't..? Never mind, sorry." Brandon recovered.

Yuuki squinted at him closely, slowly getting closer to him. "You so sure about that?" She clearly had her doubts about Brandon's honesty.

Brandon sighed and wiped his face. "Yes I swear Yuuki, please…"

"Well you aren't like those other untrustworthy animals so I'll believe you Brandon." She smiled happily.

"I'm grateful for that. You wanna come in and have a seat?" He asked.

Yuuki stuck her head past Brandon and peered into the room. Everything seemed to be to her "standards" as she replied, "Sure!" With a gleaming smile.

'She doesn't trust me at all.' Brandon thought comically.

Brandon offered Yuuki a seat on his bed while he folded out a chair. Yuuki took the time to glance around the room, admiring its cleanliness.

"You really like organization Brandon."

"You can tell that?"

"Isn't it obvious? Look around!"

Brandon realized he underestimated her abilities even more than he originally thought.

'I need to get to know my soldiers better.' He noted.

"Anyways Yuuki, what's up? You said you wanted some help about handling stress?"

She took a deep breath. "Well, remember that training scenario last week when we were caught in a crossfire?"

Brandon nodded. He recalled the situation clearly, remembering how Yuuki panicked under the situation.

"Yea…well the whole thing about the hostages being involved got to me. See there is someone that I am searching for, but I fear they may have changed. And I don't know how to handle it if I run into them out there in the city." She confessed.

"Umm…Yuuki, what exactly does any of this have to do with that situation?" Brandon asked earnestly.

"Oh! Well you know, crossfire and hostages are sorta alike. The principal is being trapped, unable to move without risk of a disastrous outcome."

"Right…" Brandon did not know where to begin. He scanned his mind but nothing came to save him from his dilemma with Yuuki. His force of habit sent his eyes roaming the room in an effort to conjure anything he could say and help her. That's when his eyes landed on the novel of wisdom laying on his nightstand.

He stood up and walked over to his nightstand. Yuuki followed his movement with her eyes carefully.

"Umm…Brandon?"

Brandon ignored her and picked up the book. It's cool touch from the worn leather stuck to his fingers like velcro. He turned around and stuck out the book towards Yuuki.

"Take this. Before I ended up here I found this journal when I was running out of hope. Inside the pages are filled with survival techniques and strategies. I don't have the answers you are searching for right now, but I believe that if you read this and apply its knowledge for yourself then you can find some answers." Brandon said confidently.

Yuuki took the book into her own hands, discovering its strength through the initial contact. Her nimble fingers danced over the leather cover, feeling its every micro-incision.

"Thanks Brandon, I will take great care of it." She stood up and walked over to the door.

Brandon followed her and gave her a smile before she exited his room.

"Thank you for confronting me Yuuki, I hope next time I can assist you further."

Yuuki nodded happily and again thanked him before chasing down the hallway. Her nose was already sniffing through the pages, scanning the vast subjects Brown copied down.

Brandon closed the door and sighed. "I need to stop convincing myself I have to do everything for them on my own." He admitted to himself.

He sat back down on his bed and realized he was always burdening himself with his squad's issues.

* * *

**Defense Department Weekly Meeting  
**

The classroom was filled with numerous bodies including Brandon Rodack and his squad. The walls had various maps with scribbles covering their surfaces, marks of important details. Everyone was seated at a single desk, perfectly aligned in rows. The lights were fully switched on, delivering a powerful light across every inch of the room. The soft hum of the AC unit droned on in the background.

General Warbliss was standing at the front of the classroom. He had his hands crossed over behind him, tucked into the small of his back. His green eyes scanned the classroom silently. After he had everyone accounted for he lifted his right hand to his mouth and coughed, signaling the beginning of the meeting.

"Today we will discuss last week's training. Squad leaders, if you would please come up here to the front with me for a moment."

Chairs rustled in chorus as all the squad leaders stood up and proceeded to the front of the room. Brandon was the second in line closest to the General. Yuuki watched observantly, curious as to what would happen next. Brown's book was poking out of her satchel slightly, a bookmark protruding the top of it.

General Warbliss opened his mouth to speak, "Standing here with me are your leaders that will guide you in whatever future conflicts await the Apostles. This past week you trained everyday under their guidance, growing stronger, becoming faster. You are all shaping into wonderful soldiers that will be called upon when everyone needs you most. When that moment comes I know you will be ready to face any adversity that threatens us. Lets give a hand for these wonderful leaders." He spoke confidently, beginning the clap.

The entire room immediately filled up with cheers and the drumming sounds of powerful claps. Yuuki, along with the rest of Brandon's squad took part in the cheering. Some of the squad leaders fumbled nervously, unaccustomed to the applause and recognition. Brandon stood mirror like to General Warbliss, and humbly accepted the applause. Afterwards the general motioned for them to take their seats.

"Now, I want to discuss some general strategies with all of you."

For the next hour General Warbliss went over tactics using the various maps posted around the room. He covered the basics and what he expected of everyone to accomplish when following the stratagem. He left the more in-depth details to his squad leaders, who would go over the details at a later time next week.

"You are dismissed!" General Warbliss called out after finishing explaining the last map.

Everyone scurried out of their chairs and exited the room in an orderly fashion. "Rodack stay back for a moment." The general called out.

Brandon nodded and stayed by the door. After everyone left the room he joined the general in front of the classroom. The man turned to face Brandon, a serious expression present.

"The President has informed me to discuss a top-secret matter with you. Before I begin, do I have your word that you will not tell anyone else about this sensitive information?" He asked with an unwavering expression.

Brandon was surprised by the news but remained composed. "Yes."

The general nodded and began, "There are other communities out in the city. We have been tracking their movements for a while now, taking notes about their behavior, habits, security, anything we can gather. So far we located only three other communities besides ourselves."

"Are...you serious? There are others surviving out there?" Brandon asked curiously.

"Yes. However, we have no idea what their mentality is. They may be dangerous so we remained at a distance for now."

"What about an envoy?"

"We were considering that before we witnessed a very disturbing event a couple days ago."

"What happened?"

"Our top scouts saw a vicious explosion erupting from inside a building, causing it to collapse. Gunfire by the borders erupted soon after, with a group fleeing the community. Another party left the community soon after. We believe they were chasing after the first party."

"What do you think that could mean, Sir?"

"That's what I want to ask you Brandon. You served, what do you think?"

"Well I did not see it myself, so I cannot be absolutely sure. But I believe the reasonable deduction is that they attacked the community in some fashion. Or are at least believed to be guilty of the attack. Ah...now I see why you guys want to hold off on sending an envoy. You believe they may be hostile now following that attack."

"Exactly. We can assume the fleeing party are hostile due to the situation. And the other community doesn't trust others now because of the attack."

Brandon nodded. "What will happen next?"

"I don't know at this time, but I will keep you updated. In the meantime please keep this information to yourself for the moment. We will make the information public once we decided on a course of action." General Warbliss stated, and walked with Brandon towards the door.

The two left the room following the conclusion of their conversation. Outside the room in the poorly lighted hallway Brandon swore secrecy and saluted the general. Afterwards they went their separate ways with Brandon leaving the University Center. He was greeted by a sleet of rain crashing in furious waves outside the building.

"Great." Brandon sighed.

Brandon's keen eyes detected movement to the left. Turning his head he spotted a lone figure with his grey hoodie zipped up, and the hood over his head. The figure was trudging through the rain without a sense of urgency. His grey Airwalk shoes sank into the ground before rising back up it in a simply rhythm. As he got closer Brandon could see a pair of gleaming objects reflecting off his ears, presumably to be earrings of some kind.

As he got closer Brandon recalled seeing him somewhere before. He tried to recall the time but his mind draw blanks.

"Excuse me sir, have we met?" Brandon called out, approaching the figure. The rain splattered Brandon as he left the cover of the University Center, stinging his face with a volley of arrows.

The figure turned around, revealing an angular face with chiseled features. A single scar running from his right eye fell down to the bottom portion of his right jaw. His eyes were molded into an almond shape, with forest green orbs staring at Brandon. The hood shrouded his hair mysteriously. He eyed Brandon silently, a cold breeze whisked around them.

"We have." he said and began to walk away.

"That's right, you are the squad leader who is also in charge of the dojo." Brandon called out, catching up with him.

"Yes, that's correct. Now if you would please let me go, I have other things to attend to."

"Oh! Sorry, my name is Brandon Rodack." He offered his hand.

"Keith." He said and shook his hand.

Brandon glanced at Keith questioningly. Keith in turn continued to display his expressionless face and walked off. Brandon watched him disappear into the twilight, the darkness now was overtaking the daylight. Over the mountains the sun dipped down for the day, allowing the moon to dominate the sky untouched.

* * *

**Nighttime Outside the Sports Complex**

A lone wolf howled under the moon. Sweat dripped from his brow as he prepared another run at the dummy target in front of him. Straw was strewn everywhere around him, dancing with every calculated stroke of his arms. His black kukri blades touched the dummy tenaciously, ripping its flesh violently. Another swing brought the dummy down from its fence post and onto the ground.

The wolf looked up into the night sky and watched the sparkling lights. The moon was shimmering stoically above him, casting it's pale glow across the training field. On his shoulder another grey wolf was howling at the moon. The moon had kanji letters etched into its surface, spelling death in a crimson ink. They howled together under the night sky, reaching to their lost brothers and sisters.

Kieth Turner glanced back down at the torn dummy. he gingerly reached out and grasped the broken object with his hardened hands. The rough straw dug under his nails, and scratched his chiseled hands. He felt annoyance as his almond-shaped forest green eyes observed the dummy.

'Not good enough' He thought and tossed the dummy over seven feet away.

The task was rather easy for him as he spent many years training his body. His speed and strength were exemplary, parallel with his six-foot-three eminence. Over the years his muscles tightened into smaller proportions, not lacking any of their previous capacities. He achieved a lean physique with an emphasis on his biceps and legs.

He turned away from the dummy and left the training area. His grey Airwalk shoes crunched into the grass with a small yelp. The sticky arid air pushed his black t-shirt against his body, the sweat producing a disgusting moist sensation on his skin. He groaned silently but remained silent henceforth. His brown hair was whisked back just at his ear lobes. Various bleached blonde streaks ran through his fibers, producing a unique look.

Around the community he was known as the quiet dojo master. He practiced everyday along with his students, training them in the various art forms he learned before the apocalypse. Despite his position, he really had no friends. He was old enough to skip out the teenage scenes, and young enough to miss the old-timers downing drinks and swapping stories. This lonely reality failed to consume him however. It really was no different than before the zombies and the violence.

Nowadays he only had one thing on his mind...revenge.

_Keith remained under his bed, cupping his ears with his hands. His eyes were smeared with murky tears as he tried to drown out the noises from downstairs. The disruptive sound of tables breaking, glass shattering, and violent cries from his father filled his head. Their screams were piercing, bashing against his skull. Silent tears ran down his face._

_The air was stuffy under his bed, clogging his throat with its dusty particles. He could barely handle the suffering, both mentally and physically. His surroundings were hidden by the cloaking void. The curtains were crafted from despair, woven into brilliant threads of velvet. The darkness was a fiery cold, leaving Keith sweating with cold shivers._

_"Give me all your money you fat piece of shit!" The stranger's voice roared._

_Keith could barely make out the responding sounds of his father struggling against the attacker. He forced his eyes closed and squeezed his eyelids shut. His heart was bashing against his ribs, sending pulses of pain through his veins. The adrenaline coursing through his blood began to dissipate, running on fumes. More violent cries came from downstairs, storming up the steps in rapid succession._

_And then silence. The voices were gone, and the awful noises ceased to fill the house. Keith gingerly removed his hands from his face. his palms covered in sweat. His breathing was heavy, heavier than the weight of Atlas's burden. He gasped for breath and slowly slid out from under his bed. A wave of freshness slammed into him, basking him in it's nipping fever.  
_

_He forgot his surroundings for a moment as his body devoured the coolness, rehabilitating his homeostasis. Keith leaned against his dresser and relaxed. The stiff body welcomed him as his eyes started to droop. Then a creak at the foot of the stairs. Keith's eyes shot open at the sound of the slight disturbance. That's when another creak approached his bedroom door. He stared feverishly at the door, unsure what he was expecting. _

_Then the door opened slowly, and his fears were realized. An unknown stranger, matted down in fresh blood locked eyes with Keith. They were dark, cold and stoic. The two remained in complete silence for a few moments. Keith began to tremble in fear and anxiety. The stranger smiled a bloodcurdling gleam in the midnight terror. _

Keith's thoughts circulated around revenge every day. There was no time for anything else besides training. Around the community he saw petty politics, bartering, love...love. All of it was an unnecessary, except the latter. The love his father showed him when they were still together was the happiest moments of Keith's life. And that's why he needed his vengeance on the assailant.

'I will avenge you father.'

* * *

**Next Morning **

A knock awoke Brandon from his slumber. He groggily rose out of bed, spending a moment to gather most of his senses. A barrage of knocks crashed into his door.

"Ill be right there!" Brandon called out, slipping on a pair of shorts before opening the door.

A woman dressed in a business skirt and blouse stood by herself with an urgent expression trapped inside her hazel eyes. "You are Brandon Rodack correct?"

"Yes." Brandon replied, his curiosity began to sober him up.

"President Faires needs you at his office immediately, an envoy came just now." She stated.

"An envoy?" Brandon asked.

"Yes, no time to explain!" She seized his arm and began to drag him away.

"Hey! I need to put on a shirt first!"

"One will be provided for you." She said simply, her sheer force dominating his resistance.

"Just give me a minute and I can grab one. You here me? HEEEEY!" Brandon roared.

A half hour later Brandon was thrown into the President's office by the woman. She grown tired of his persisting resistance and annoying charades. She slammed the doors shut trapping Brandon inside the office. Brandon glanced at the doors with a fiery rage, but knew it was futile. He wondered how many people saw him being paraded down the streets shirtless, manhandled by an Amazonian in disguise. He shivered at the thought.

The President's laughter snapped him out his nightmare. He glanced back and saw the President sitting at his desk, accompanied by a small group of persons Brandon did not recognize. The foreign group was observing him with curiosity, one of them even appeared to be on the break of laughing.

"I see you met Grace." The President stated, a humorous tone present.

"Very _graceful_ presence with that one." Brandon retorted dryly.

The President laughed and motioned for Brandon to join them at his desk. A white shirt was folded neatly in the open chair. Swiftly Brandon covered his body with the fabric, feeling a lot less embarrassed now. He looked over to the side where the foreign group was gathered, curiosity rolled off his posture.

"Excuse me, but who are you guys?" Brandon asked.

"They are an envoy sent from the major prison in the West. They came with an offer." The President's demeanor changed back to seriousness.

"My my, the suspense!"

Brandon turned to look at the character who spoke. A hooded individual rose up and in a single graceful motion swept her hood back, revealing an eccentric sight. A pair of mismatched irises ogled Brandon's body mercilessly, causing him to shudder. Purple frolics dipped over the odd girl's face, revealing an eerie smile that was hidden under the hood previously. She stuck out her arms like a singer striking a gallant pose, and the cloak fell free from her bindings revealing a faded Gothic neon dress. The frilly material was mostly patted down from sweat and grime, and the lack of proper washes.

She stalked towards Brandon confidently, her hips swaying back and forth. A mischievous smile adorn her face brilliantly, spreading across her entire canvas. Brandon felt a sudden wave of dread wash over him. He knew something was off with this overly-eccentric girl.

"Who are yo-" Brandon started, but he was cut off by a finger pursing his lips.

"Now now lets not rush anything. You needn't to speak sweetie, unless you are giving me permission." The last part she whispered seductively into his ear.

Brandon reeled back and distanced himself from her. No question about her being an oddball now.

The girl broke out in a disturbing display of laughter, waving her hands elegantly around. Brandon pictured a fish wearing a tuxedo splashing outside a kiddie pool in relation to her scene.

"My my, you are the quick one. The name is Kimi Matsaharu." She stuck out her hand politely. Brandon hesitantly shook it.

"Brandon Rodack."

"That's a great boy." She winked.

"Kimi that's enough for now don't you think?" One of the others in her group spoke up.

Kimi turned around and pouted. "You're no fun whatsoever Junbei!"

"We have business to discuss here. You can play afterwards." Junbei stated coldly.

"You owe me an ice cream sandwich and a cute little girl." She said annoyed, returning to the desk.

"What..?" Brandon asked confused, only catching her last comment.

"You don't have a sister by chance, do you Brandy-Dear?" Kimi asked hopefully.

"That's enough." Junbei reiterated.

The other companion remained hidden behind a mask that appeared strangely familiar. Junbei now straightened up in his chair and turned back towards the President. He propped his elbows on his desk and rested his hands under his nose, crossing his hands over themselves.

"Now that your friend is here let's discuss business Mr. President"

Brandon took a seat and joined the two parties in their discussion. From what he could understand the foreign party was sent by their leader to enlist the Apostles help in the upcoming conflict. This conflict was being encouraged by two other parties who were at each others throats, probably the two parties the Apostles scouts spotted a few days ago.

The President sat silently in his chair, never breaking away from Junbei as he spoke to him. Occasionally he would nod as Junbei was talking, perhaps a signal of some sort. Junbei's companions all remained silent during the discussion. The only one who was doing anything besides listening was the girl known as Kimi. She was filing her nails with a pole-looking object that appeared to have a blade attached to it. Brandon watched her hands glide over the blade swiftly, no hesitation present in her movements. She must have a lot of confidence in her coordination.

Kimi glanced up and spotted him watching her. She winked suggestively and began to raise her right hand to the strap that held her dress on her. Slowly she slipped the pole-blade under the strap with some assistance from her fingers. Staring at Junbei closely she began to slip the strap off her shoulder with the pole. Brandon gulped inaudibly, mesmerized by her bizarre action.

Suddenly the masked companion's hand slammed down on Kimi's shoulder, stopping her erotic action. She just giggled happily and removed the pole from under her strap. Then the masked companion turned and glared at Brandon, who in turn raised his hands as if to say "I didn't do anything". The masked figure turned back towards the President and rejoined the conversation. Brandon gave one last look at Kimi before doing the same.

"So what do you have to say to our offer Mr. President?" Junbei concluded.

The President cleared his throat politely before he began. "Tell me Junbei, what is your last name so I can address you with the same courtesies you granted me?"

"Tachibana, Junbei Tachibana." He said matter-of-factually.

Brandon's mind simulated an explosion of alarming magnitude. He quickly caught himself however, and started to consider the facts before he jumped to any conclusions. There was certainly more than one family carrying the "Tachibana" surname in Tokyo. Not to mention there was the entire Japanese country to consider as well soo it was probable that this "Tachibana" was not related to Yuuki Tachibana. Brandon's mind continued to test his theory with all possibilities when suddenly he recalled the time on the roof last week.

_"You seem very determined Yuuki. I was wondering how old are you?" Brandon asked inquisitively._

_"You know its rude to ask a lady her age." She shot back._

_"I was just curious, you seem really young. I was wondering why you would participate in this course being this young. That's all." Brandon replied honestly._

_Yuuki lowered her head while tilting to the right. Her hair covered the pained expression she wore as she spoke hesitantly._

_"I am searching for someone...someone that is important to me." She then rushed past Brandon, leaving him alone on the roof._

'Still it couldn't be, could it?' He pondered.

"Mr. Tachibana, can you tell me why your leader himself doesn't come to talk to me?" The President asked.

"The trip here is rather dangerous, if its all the same." Junbei stated slyly.

"I don't mean to be insulting, but isn't that rather cowardly for a leader?" The President fired back harshly. It was a side Brandon never seen before.

"I assure you 'Mr. President of the Apostles' that my leader is no coward." Junbei retorted.

"Well, until I see proof of that I must decline. How can I trust an ally in battle if he cannot show himself to me? If its all the same." The President concluded.

He rose up out of his chair powerfully and glanced towards Brandon.

"Brandon can you escort our guests to the gate?" He asked softly.

"Yes sir." Brandon said, maintaining his composure. He was confused by the sudden change in the discussion's atmosphere but made sure to play his role perfectly. He now realized why the President requested him, Brandon was his insurance in case the conversation went south.

Brandon stood up and headed towards the door. He waited for the three foreigners patiently, tapping his fingers on his holster. Junbei was still sitting at the desk, his hidden eyes were burning with rage. The masked companion placed her hand on his shoulder, a signal that they needed to leave. He glared at her but got up anyways.

"I can handle it myself Mana." He said coldly, blowing past her.

As Brandon exited the office he spotted his squad assembled in the hallway, apparently waiting for him. He stood shocked for a moment, realizing the President must have called for them to be assembled so they could assist him if needed.

"Here for support." Yuuki said merrily to Brandon.

"Uh Yuuki, you may need to leave..." Brandon stated hesitatingly.

"Huh? Why?" She asked questioningly.

At that moment Junbei and his group exited the room. His raven hair swayed slowly under the fluorescent lights, revealing his face to Yuuki. The same amber eyes burned fiercely with determination on his face. Brandon knew at that moment what Junbei relationship to Yuuki was. Quickly he positioned his body to shield Yuuki from his sight, but it was too late.

"J-Jun..?" Yuuki asked questioningly.

At the sound of her soft voice he froze. Slowly he turned to look at her, his eyes frozen in fear. Or was it suspense from a distant memory? Their eyes aligned together under the faded glow from the fluorescent lights. The air became tense, constricting everyone together and trapping all of them inside the blast radius of this explosive moment. The painful memories of Hiroshima was trumped in an instant following Junbei's next words.

"Yuuki."

* * *

This is a much shorter chapter compared to the last few. Hope you all don't mind too much. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading it :)

P.S. Enjoy the dialogue! I would say I tried really hard to make the scenes perfect, but I kinda didn't. I felt they were all pretty great without changing. Hope you feel the same way :P And if you were wondering I was using a SPN reference during Brandon's second flashback, you guessed correctly ;)

**As always I asked everyone to please leave your thoughts, criticism, or emotions in a review. I thoroughly enjoy reading reviews, and love chatting with the reviewers every time you leave one for me. Reviews are highly motivating for me as an author, and I love to see where I can improve, or where I can sustain so you guys continue to enjoy reading.**


	8. Physical Diplomacy

R0TT0 V0CE is back!

First off sorry for taking so long to update. I decided while writing this chapter to take an extended break. I was battling some things in my own life, and also being lazy. Hate to admit it but I am such a monster to you guys :P Its my hope this chapter will restore some of your faith in me as well as entertain my fans who were caught anxiously waiting for the update. Love you guys, and without you I would never update...like ever xD

In this chapter I am skipping over the parts covered by the last chapter (President's meeting with the Marauders) to avoid redundancy. This chapter begins a few days before the Marauders make contact with the Apostles via Junbei and company. Basically this just explains how the Marauders ended up in Apostle territory as well as expanding on characters.

I believe this chapter is long overdue in terms of shaping your personal opinions on the Marauders. There were a few of you who brought it to my attention that the clan itself felt bland. Most described not being able to relate to the band of loveable murderers and thieves. Which, let me say, I am thankful you are not as that means none of you are the previously listed persons...unless you are just lying to me so I am an easier victim 0.o

All jokes aside (as we know that's not my strong suit) I share with you the next installation of Warring Factions. Take some time to think about the title of this chapter and try to predict what may happen before you read. I love dropping hints for you guys, and love it even more when I surprise you :D

Footnote:

**Ankh: **An Egyptian symbol meaning eternal life. Its also said to be carried by Egyptian deities, usually by the loop.**  
**

* * *

_Chapter 8: Physical Diplomacy_

**A Few Days Before Contact with Apostles**

The sun was trapped behind a curtain of grayish clouds. They produced a dim glow which slipped through the dense air, locked in a battle for freedom. A flock of birds soared towards refuge, determined to avoid the incoming storm. A mile out rain began to fall from their keepers in the sky. The clouds were bellowing that day, an omen to what would happen in the coming days.

Deep inside the main complex a hammer swung down with ferocity. A powerful clang echoed throughout the basement floor. The sound resonance bounced off the walls, reaching every depth hidden in the shadows.

The owner of the hammer was in a foul mood that day. With his dark blue eyes he scanned over his handiwork. He observed that the blade was sharper than a lawyer's wit, with a silver gleam reflected across the steel. Sampson picked up the blade and tested its overall balance by swinging the weapon carefully multiple times until he was satisfied. He noted it was well-balanced with the handle adding additional grip to make the weapon feel more natural in your hand.

Yesterday Ben Hammock came and ordered Sampson to prepare weapons and armor for everyone. When Sampson asked if something was about to happen Ben just smiled and said he would find out for himself in the coming days. He also specified that "everyone" meant whoever showed up asking for a weapon within the next few days. The lack of organization was prevalent now to the furious blacksmith who was stuck spending his hours crafting. While he was not intimidated by the Pit Boss, he knew he could not stand a chance against the man's political reach.

Junbei slipped through the door. He was wearing his usual white hoodie dominating a maroon full-sleeve shirt that was laying beneath it. His pristine hoodie was now dulled with a layer of grime stuck to the fabric. Junbei's cold eyes seemed even more devoid of emotion as Sampson gazed into them.

Junbei approached the counter silently. His footsteps came down promptly, firing like the pistons of an engine. Although his pace was average, his posture and demeanor made him appear like he was in rage. Sampson laid down the weapon he was testing and turned to face Junbei.

"Hey Jun what's up? You look even more dreadful today for some reason." Sampson called out to his friend.

Junbei rolled his eyes and ignored the man's prodding. "The boss said we are possibly heading out later this afternoon."

"Jun taking orders without arguing, there's a first!" Sampson cried mockingly.

"And there is my first weapon I want to try out." Jun said flatly, making it hard for Sampson to decipher what his intent was. He was pointing to the weapon Sampson just laid on the counter.

Sampson lifted the weapon and handed it off to Junbei who took a few swings with it. He twisted his expression slightly and handed it back to Sampson.

"Do you have any kind of blunt weapons?" He asked.

Sampson rubbed his chin thoughtfully, searching his brain. "I am pretty sure I don't." He said wishfully.

"Here is your first one then." Junbei slid his baseball bat off its homemade sling and handed it over to Sampson.

Sampson received the weapon hesitantly, unsure what he would do with it. He glanced up to Junbei who had a small smile on his face.

"Do your worst." He turned around and left.

Sampson began to smile after hearing his friend's words. Even though Junbei would always deny they were friends that never stopped Sampson for considering themselves friends. The raven-haired teenager was still a child after all, and he desired friendship. He would just never admit it.

Junbei had crossed the room and left through the door, slamming it harshly behind him. The walls vibrated from the impact, sending a short wave of creaks from their foundations.

"Yup, still a child all right." Sampson said to himself with a small chuckle.

He examined the wooden baseball bat and began to mentally design modifications for it. He glanced around his workshop and spotted a few materials that he could possibly use for his project. He left the counter and quickly rounded up all the materials which he laid out on the counter afterwards. With everything at his fingertips he began the project.

A hour later Junbei reentered Sampson's workshop. Inside his head he was curious to see what Sampson accomplished. A part of him doubted he would be impressed, in fact its possible he would have just engraved some crappy joke into the wood. However, Junbei could not deny Sampson had talent in crafting. He seen some of the weapons that were created by the joke butcher and was impressed by their quality.

Jun remembered the days from long ago when stealing was the only way to acquire something of value.

_Junbei turned down the ominous alley in a full sprint, almost losing his footing from the slippery cement. Angry cries rang out behind him, threatening to catch him. The fear of being caught injected more adrenaline in his system, accelerating his speed. His heart was beating against his chest in a frenzy, he felt every aching cry course through his veins. Rain sprayed his face with a ferocious fury.  
_

_He squinted down the alley looking for an escape route. A pipe, or a fence he could hop over, anything to help him throw off his pursuers. The only assistance he received was the dim cast from the neighboring windows. Inside those brightly-lit rooms was a happy family sitting together at the dining table. In front of them was a steaming meal made from fresh ingredients, an uncorked wine bottle for the adults, and plastic cups with the curvy straws for the kids. The family knew nothing of the events unfolding around Junbei just outside their window. _

_Junbei grounded his teeth together. He was envious of their lavish lifestyle, never having to worry where the next meal would come from. Or where the next paycheck would enter their bank account. Everything was so easy for them, their kids never had to hustle like Junbei did. _

_"Fucking rich families." He cursed under his breath as he continued to drive past the brick walls. _

_The end of the alley became visible now, and Junbei increased his speed. He flew out of the narrow passage and darted right, struggling to keep up his speed due to fatigue. Eventually he lost his pursuers and returned home. At their door step Yuuki was crouched down with her legs propped up, and her arms hugging them. Her face was buried inside her human fortress, and Junbei knew what that meant.  
_

_"Hey Yu." He said casually. _

_In response Yuuki released a series of sniffles and continued to bury herself. Junbei cursed mentally, for he knew what this form of Yuuki meant. Junbei took a seat next to Yuuki on their doorstep, the freezing concrete began to burn his backside. _

_'Just how long has she been out here?' Junbei wondered._

_Junbei took off his hoodie and wrapped it around his sister. She stiffened at their inital contact, but relaxed after she realized what he was trying to do. The two sat together in silence for several minutes. Finally Yuuki popped her head out from her fortress. Her usual bright amber eyes shined even brighter under the street light. Junbei extended his left arm around his sister and brought her in. She gave up her fortress and threw all her emotions at her brother.  
_

_"Where were you Jun?" She asked timidly, trying to keep them her sobs._

_Junbei refused to answer her question but instead pulled out his satchel. He opened the top flap and rummaged through it. His sister watched him with intense focus, curious about what hidden contents laid inside. From the satchel Junbei lifted a brown bag and handed it to his sister. She glanced at the bag with a confused expression, and looked back at her brother for guidance. Junbei nodded for her to open the bag and look inside._

_Yuuki obeyed and carefully peeled away the converged paper material from its seal. Once opened, she dipped her hands inside the bag and gasped. Her hands enveloped over the familiar feeling, although she never felt this much of the sensation for a very long time. Maybe even in her entire life. Grasping it firmly, she slowly lifted it out of the brown bag. The bag crinkled from her movements but allowed her to leave it, revealing a wad of cash tightly rolled together. Her eyes stood wide-opened, unable to break away from the sight._

_"Jun...how did you?" She asked, glancing back at her brother._

_"Tomorrow we are going to head into town to buy you some new clothes, and grab lunch at that your favorite cafe afterwards." He squeezed her tightly before standing up. "Now lets go inside Yuuki and get some sleep." He said warmly. _

_Yuuki felt uneasy about the mysterious cash, but Jun's smile calmed her. She smiled back and nodded energetically. _

Now Junbei had more means and assets at his disposal to survive in this world. For the first time in his life he felt comfortable where he was at. Although, the one thing he could never escape in this new world was the empty feeling inside his heart. He was surrounded by strangers except for the odd few...acquaintances he had met over the past year. Friends simply never existed in this reality, the word friend is just a mirage for you to feel security in this world. One day you will need help and enlist a friend to aide you, and then you will be stabbed in the back with a knife tainted with everything you entrusted them with. Friends are delusional beings you give power to, and they will always use that power against you.

The only thing Junbei ever had that was remotely close to a friend was Yuuki, but now she was gone as well. Every month the pit grew deeper inside Junbei, and he felt his darkness consuming every last ray of hope holding on to Yuuki's well-being. He knew by now she was probably torn to shreds from the zombies, her entrails being shoved into their rotting throats. She was never strong enough to get past those first few days of the outbreak. And it was all his fault.

Sampson's voice suddenly broke Junbei from his thoughts. "Ah there you are! Get over here buddy and check out what I did with that play-toy of yours!" He waved his hands invitingly to the worktable.

Junbei walked over and looked down at the table where his old baseball bat laid. He could not even recognize it was his original bat at first glance. The new baseball bat had an inch-thick iron shell screwed into the wooden body all the way down to the slimmer handle. Additionally there was an iron handle welded onto the handle part, similar to a scimitar's handle. However, this iron handle had numerous spikes dotting the face of it, with each spike reaching around inch at least. And finally, at the pummel of the bat there was a thick leather strap with a single fastener on it.

Junbei marveled at the weapon and was thoroughly impressed by Sampson's craftsmanship. Sampson smiled at his genuine demeanor, and patted him on his shoulder.

"Well don't be shy my good friend, try it out for yourself!" He encouraged.

Junbei slid his fingers around the handle and gripped it tightly. The iron felt warm against his digits, it felt pleasant to Junbei. He lifted the weapon off the table and took a few steps backwards to give himself some room. First he lifted his arm so it was horizontal to the floor and tested the weapon's weight. It was not surprising to him that the weapon felt heavier, but he was surprised that it still felt balanced. Next he swung the bat a few times. The bat's weight carried his movements fluidly, the entire weapon felt great. However, Junbei was still unsure what purpose the leather strap served.

Sampson seemingly read his mind and answered his unasked question. "Before you grasp the handle slid your hand through the leather strap and tighten it until its just slightly loose around your wrist." He instructed.

Junbei did as he instructed then looked at Sampson for further guidance.

"Now that you have the strap around your wrist I want you to swing the bat then let go of the handle."

Junbei looked down at the bat questioningly, but decided to concede to the blacksmith's request. He pulled the bat back around him and swung. Just as his elbow reached a right angle he released the handle. The leather strap slipped past his wrist and became anchored on his palm, giving the weapon an additional two inches of reach. Junbei yanked back, causing the strap to return to his wrist and the bat reeling back into his open palm. However, his pointer finger pricked the top of a spike which caused momentarily pain to fire through his nerves.

"Haha! Nice swing and fluid movements, but just be careful when you are re-enacting Thor. You haven't mastered that bat yet." Sampson cautioned.

"Yea...the weapon feels great Sampson. And..uh thanks." Junbei muttered with lowered his eyes and then he left the room on that last note.

"Oh what was that again?" Sampson called out after Junbei. Of course, he received no answer.

* * *

**Farming Grounds**

Her bandaged hands plucked the ripe carrot from the soil. Usually those bandaged hands were used against living persons with the intent to subdue them, but today she was at the farm area helping out. She repeatedly had to push her fallen bangs over the to right of her forehead, which began to slightly annoy her. The rest of her long brown hair is supported from a ponytail positioned high on the back of her head.

A commotion nearby caused her maroon eyes to shift away from the crops. They tracked the disturbance to a Marauder and a slave standing about thirty feet away arguing. The slave was a older man wildly throwing his hands out towards the Marauder as if he was asking for something. The Marauder slave keeper just shouted at him and pushed him away. She sighed and rose to her feet, the soil responding with a crunch as her black sandals dug down. She patted off the dirt from her red trousers and started to walk towards the two still embroiled in their argument. She knew what was going to happen.

As she got closer she was able to make out the sentences being exchanged between the two parties. And it was no surprise to her what the entire argument was about.

"Please just give me some water, I have a massive headache!" The slave asked painfully.

"You think we just hand out water around here? You stupid fuckin' slaves thinking you have the right to demand luxury items like you actually mean something. Well let me tell you, you are worth absolutely nothin' to us. When you kneel over and finally stop hoggin' all our precious air your buddies will pick you up and then we will hang you as a decoration." The slave-master replied with a crazed laugh.

"Just...please..." The man asked with tears sparkling in his eyes.

"Fuck off!" The slave-master angrily shouted and threw the man down.

"Gah!" The slave cried out, clutching his side.

She seen enough now. She cleared her throat loudly, earning the attention of the slave master who turned around at the sound.

"Allow me to handle him for you." She offered in a sincere tone.

The slave master smirked, "Make sure he learns his place around here Azami."

Azami smiled and bent down to pick up the fallen man still clutching his side. He offered no resistance against her and allowed her to carry him away towards the cells. Once Azami was sure they were out of eyesight from the slave master she darted behind a storage shed. She carefully leaned the man against the shed and handed him a water bottle she had on her. The man looked at her with a confused expression, and made no move to take the water bottle from her hand.

"It's alright, I promise this water isn't poisoned or part of some elaborate plan. Please just take it." Azami offered honestly.

The man saw the ferocious determination burning passionately inside her maroon eyes and felt a sense of ease. He graciously took her bottle and muttered a pained expression of gratitude. The man quickly screwed off the cap and consumed the cool contents greedily.

"Why are you helping me?" He asked.

"Because it is just." She simply said in response.

"Just? When I look around here I don't see anything that's derived from justice or being justified." He retorted.

"I cannot say you are wrong in your views, but understand that I do not feel the same as my peers...nor agree with their methods. That's why we are here in secret, and you have a bottle of water in your hand."

"Empty bottle now...thanks by the way." The man said shyly.

"Your welcome, but we must be returning soon or else he may become suspicious." Azami said seriously.

"I understand, and dont worry about me squealing. The only pigs I see around here are your 'peers'." He said.

Azami smiled and held out her hand which he grabbed in response. She helped him up to his feet, and looked at his chest area where he was previously clutching.

"Are you okay to move on your own?" She asked.

"I should be." He replied. "Name's John." He added, offering his hand to her.

"Azami." She said with a smile, reaching her hand out.

Azami led the man back towards the farming grounds where the slave-master was waiting. John conducted a acting routine that succeeded in convincing the slave-master that Azami dealt with him accordingly. He gave a nod of approval upon them returning to the farm then dismissed her for the day. Azami was hesitant to leave John alone with the slave-master, but John gave her a smile and nodded while the slave-master was focused on her. She threw up a peace sign with her fingers and left the farm.

Now that her day was free to spend however she wanted she began to brainstorm her possibilities. Above her the sun was overtaken by a horde of ominous clouds sagging with rainwater. The entire surface was swept with a pale gloom along with a frigid gust. Azami's ponytail danced wildly as Azami protected her face with her arm. The gust vanished soon after plaguing the residents, and the rain pellets began to fall.

Azami immediately ran towards the closest building with hopes of remaining dry from the sudden storm. She spotted a small wooden shed and started sprinting towards it. With a gymnastic-like finish she dove through the open doorway and rolled using her momentum to secure her cover from the storm. She laughed at herself and smiled. Her behavior reminded her of when she was a hooligan on the playground years ago. Running up slides, jumping off swings in mid-air just as they reached their peak, hiding from friends behind walls...

Someone's yelp of surprise caused Azami to return to reality. Startled, she raised to her feet and looked around. The only thing in the shed was a tall closet probably used for storage. The sound seemed to originate from there, so Azami began to take her first few steps filled with curiosity. An adventurous sensation flowed through her as she reached towards the door handle. The dull brass was warm as her mummy hand gripped around twisted the sphere-shaped handle. She took a deep breathe, then flung the door open while also leaping back.

A Goliath of a man tumbled out of the closet, making a less-than-gallant entrance. Amazi swore he could break the floor with his size alone, and pondered why the floor failed to even creak. The beast groaned and looked up to Azami with confused eyes, as if wondering why she would open the closet in the first place. Azami was unsure if she was reading into his expression too much.

"Well hi there stranger in the closet." She joked, and offered her hand.

The man inched his hand, acting unsure of her gesture. He accepted her gesture and rose to his feet. Azami was startled by the difference in their hand sizes as she examined how his tanned hand consumed her smaller extremity. The man was truly a Goliath of nature, reaching well over six feet.

"Sorry..but just how tall are you?" Amazi asked.

"Six-foot-eleven..." The burly man replied while scratching his head nervously.

"Wow..." Azami awed.

The man laughed a brutal crackle and tried to smile. Inside his massive chest cavity a thousand marathon runners raced at an unmatched speed. Some sweat beads were beginning to roll down his forehead, dragging his raven-shaggy hair onto his scalp. Despite his massive size he seemed to be beyond terrified of some unannounced horror.

Azami smiled and realized the man may be afraid of human interaction, or not accustomed to it. She grabbed his hand and began to drag him towards the door. Outside the rain was still pouring, but she was not going to allow the rain to stop her. However, her luggage in tow attempted to.

"Wh-what are you doing?" The man asked, resisting her.

"There are some people I want you to meet!" She said cheerfully.

He turned pale as he looked past her towards the outside where the rain was pouring down. His body was convulsing with a terrible tremble, one of extreme measure. He continued to resist Azami's guidance. But then she smiled at him, and her friendly eyes pierced through his fears. He felt like he could trust her for some reason, something he could not reason, could not comprehend. Slowly he gave in to her influence, choosing to trust her over his own natural instincts.

The two exited the shed and joined the storm together. In seconds the powerful rain drenched them, and the man whose name was Nile faced one of his many fears. He found the rain refreshing, and even a smile pulling at his lips. He turned to Azami and found her eyes watching him closely along with her friendly smile, and returned his own smile. He squeezed her hand gently, and ran through the blizzard of water with her.

* * *

**Prisoner Cages**

Kimi wrapped her slender arms around her knees and watched the rain fall. She was battling her emotions and trying to restrain them, but she knew she would lose. She always did. The rain reminded her of the first memory she had of her parents.

_Kimi just turned four as she watched the rain fall onto the street through her tiny attic window.  
_

_The attic door suddenly creaked open. "Now you can clean while we are away!" Her mother cheered gleefully._

_Kimi turned towards her mother and smiled at the radiant woman. She was a popular actress, and a loving mother. That's all Kimi knew about her. Her father came up behind Kimi's mother, carrying a cake with a single candle wedged inside the icing. He was wearing his usual smile. He never actually spoke to her for some reason though. She wondered what his voice sounded like._

_Her mother squeezed her tight as she showered her with a barrage of pecks. Kimi giggled as she pretended to avoid her kisses. Her mother was the greatest person, and her father was second on that list. The two were always there for her, and her mother visited at least three times a week. Kimi looked forward to those precious moments when she would hear the attic door creak, and her mother's smiling head would pop up from the floor and greet her._

_Her father approached the two and sat the cake down beside them. The faint glow of the candle intrigued Kimi as she watched it burn. Her mother wrapped an arm around her and brushed her cheek against Kimi's. _

_"You ready to make a wish?" She asked._

_Kimi nodded vigorously. The two counted down together then blew out the candle in one breath. The smoke flew back in a brilliant spiral. Kimi laughed and looked at her two parents. They were both smiling back with their usual expressions Kimi always saw. Then her father produced a broom and dropped it in Kimi's lap. She looked up with a confused expression._

_"What's this father?" She asked._

_"Its your present sweetie. This broom will help you become an adult!" Her mother exclaimed._

_"Really?!" Kimi cried out happily. She always wanted to be an adult just like her parents. _

_"You bet! Now lets see you sweep up here and try out your present." Her mother urged with her usual smile._

_"Okay!" Kimi rose up and gripped the broom with some trouble due to its size. She dragged it behind her as she began sweeping the attic floor._

_"Isn't she beautiful dear?" Her mother asked._

_The rain continued to pour down outside. _

"Fuck you." Kimi mumbled.

A chilly breeze blew through the cement hut that once served as a check point. Kimi shivered and dug her head deeper into the pocket created by her arms and knees. Inside the pocket she found it was a little bit warmer. She pondered why every time it rained that she had to reminded about her parents.

"Doesn't matter now since they're dead." She said to herself.

"Please.." A worn voice pleaded from one of the cages.

Kimi just ignored the pitiful worm instead of cutting out his tongue like she would normally do. She lost herself in times like this, when the rain drowned out everything else. Some would call it peaceful, but Kimi just felt the opposite. She was reminded she was alone in this cruel, unforgivable world.

"Please young lady.." The same weary voice complained.

"Shut up or I'll carve out your tongue." She monotony replied.

The voice ceased to utter another word afterwards. Kimi sighed and gazed into the dull sky. The stream of clouds seemed to go on forever, indicating this loom would not leave her for a while.

"Great.."

"Umm...Kimi? I am here to uh..relieve you of your post.." A terrified guard stated.

Kimi looked over towards the door where a young man stood. He was dressed in what she made to be last week's outfit. His shirt was torn and littered with mud and grime. His pants cut off at the knees, with multiple holes burned through. He was a disgusting sight. However, she was glad to escape the cement prison so she kept her usual comments to herself.

"Thanks." She said causally and left the hut.

The young man, who appeared to be preparing himself for her usual onslaught, just gawked at her as she passed him. He saluted and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile the rain continued to pour down. Kimi paid no attention to it as she walked towards the main building. She had to report to Ben Hammock before she could do anything else. And he was not a man you wanted to keep waiting. Through the torrential downpour she could identify the outline of the main building. She closed her eyes and tried to throw away the memories of her parents before she reached the main building. Appearing weak would be troublesome, and she had a reputation established with most of the Marauder population that she could not risk ruining.

"Hey its that way towards the main building right?" An unfamiliar voice called out behind Kimi.

Kimi turned towards the voice and discovered one petite girl hauling a towering man behind her. She was caught taken back for a moment as she absorbed the shock from the man's height, before answering the girl's inquiry.

"Yes it's just ahead..deary." She added quickly after, restoring her usual self.

"Okay thanks. Love the outfit, is that a 'Innocent World' dress?" Azami asked, staring at Kimi's neon pink Gothic dress.

"Yes it is actually..sweetie. I am surprised you knew that." Kimi stated, once again caught off guard by the duo.

"I went through the phases when I was younger." Azami said with a smile. "Not that it matters your age of course!" She said quickly, hoping to not offend the exotic Kimi.

Kimi gave her a devilish smile and waved her hand. "No offense taken my dear."

Azami nodded, "Well we need to rush over to the Pitt Boss so see ya later!" Azami declared, preparing to run again with Nile.

"Oh so am I, so shall we go together?" Kimi asked with her suggestive tone. She was returning to her normal state.

"Don't see why not." Azami said with a smile.

* * *

**Pitt Boss's Office**

Nile discovered Azami's friends she wanted to introduce to him included the bloodcurdling Ben Hammock, Pitt Boss of the Marauders, and the most fearsome Marauder to date. She also failed to mention that he was planning an assault on the other groups, and that was the reason for this gathering of characters present in his office. She apologized after Ben finished his announcement and claimed she was not aware of the war matter. Nile was unsure if she was being genuine with him, but given her earlier behavior he found no reason to suspect her deceptiveness now.

That failed to change the predicament Nile found himself in. He found it humorous that he went from normal Marauder to enlisted special forces hand-picked by the Pitt Boss himself in the matter of a hour. Enlisted into a war where he felt no pertained obligation it became a goal of his to discover a way out of the conflict. Obviously he had to play along for now or else he would have Ben and his "tools" to answer to.

Nile's blue eyes drifted over everyone as he studied them individually. It was a habit he developed over the years when living in Egypt. At the local marketplace there were a number of pick-pockets patrolling the area for easy victims. After the third time Nile fell victim to the system he began to pay more attention. And now the habit became a vital skill of his life due to the outbreak.

Every face was new to the big man, but besides the eccentric Kimi everyone else seemed normal...in Marauder terms anyways. Ben Hammock however troubled him. The man was a living parasite feeding off fear and chaos, and he thrived by causing it himself. His vulgar attitude and sadistic methods exceeded the reputation.

The Sampson character appeared initially as one of the more mature and less afflicted personalities present. However, Nile sensed there was a darkness harbored somewhere inside. Maybe it was just his imagination, or generalizing him because he is a Marauder, but the look in his eyes were sometimes flat. Devoid of everything that made someone human, the opposite of Azami's shining eyes. Why she was here and taking up the Marauder mentality was something Nile wanted to find out. For a sweet and caring person she appeared as an outcast among her other brethren. Then again, the same argument could be used against himself...

"Alright everyone! I want you all to split into teams for this. No one solos anything! Unless you just want to solo against me, then by all means be my guest." Ben finished with a sadistic smile, his hopeful tone further suggested he was confident no one would argue his wish. And he was right.

Nile turned to Azami with a hopeful wish that she would ask him to join her team. Upon turning his head he found her sharp eyes already trained on him, along with an answer to his inquiry.

"Wanna tag up Nile?" She asked.

"I would rather be tagging with you then Ben." Nile replied.

Azami laughed whole-heartily at his response, startling the larger man. "You know, I think that was the first friend-like attempt you made out of our conversations." She said with her charismatic smile.

Nile felt himself beginning to blush and decided to turn away from her in order to hide the fact. This caused Azami to laugh even more, and in-turn, raised the blood levels inside his cheeks even more.

"Hey is there room for one more in the Penthouse?" Sampson's trademarked humorous tone asked.

Nile turned and found that Sampson directed the question to him. "Penthouse?" He asked in response.

"Up there on your level, the _Penthouse." _Sampson reiterated with his trademarked grin. He was hoping for at least one crackle at his creative joke.

Nile's head went blank after hearing the clue. 'What is this guy talking about?' He pondered.

"Throw in some free sharpening vouchers and your in." Azami joined in.

Sampson laughed and slapped her on the shoulder, "You got yourself a deal sister!"

Nile was unsure how the conversation turned into a recruitment, but at least things would be less awkward with Azami now that there is another group member. Glancing around the room he noticed everyone else seemed to divide into groups already.

Ben spoke up at this time. "Be at the gates before sunrise tomorrow morning with everything already packed! If I need to drag any of you out of your cells tomorrow you will find my methods are _very sharp_."

Nile paled as his imagination constructed the image Ben intended. He wasted no time exiting the office along with everyone else. On his way out Sampson mentioned camping out at his workshop so they could devise some team strategies. The idea coming from him surprised Nile a bit as he pinned the man to be a dark jokester. He realized labeling everyone before knowing them would become a hindrance, especially when it comes to his community members.

The three agreed to meet at Sampson's forge after they packed everything they would be taking with them on the mission. About a hour later they were reunited at the forge with their packs in tow. Nile filled his large rucksack mostly with food and clothes, which made him the victim of Sampson's pressing questions. The blacksmith was confused as to why no weapons made their way inside the sack. Nile in turn removed a curved blade from behind his back.

The scimitar he held was his father's from their time in Egypt. The golden handle was forged with brass and designed into a "Ankh" shape, with the loop of the symbol being the pommel. It was an elegant design that intrigued Sampson, who began grabbing his tools claiming that he needed to match its beauty with his own hands. After he disappeared into his back room Azami spoke up.

"I don't even know where we are going Nile...its scary." She confessed.

"In my lifetime I have walked many paths where the light was dim and the air was scarce. I left my guide behind because I was determined to drown myself in the darkness. Every time I felt it gnaw on my soul I just wanted to give up. The fear of the unknown is a powerful horror, but when you go into the unknown with someone you can trust, the fear lessens." Nile looked into her eyes with confidence. "And I trust you Azami."

Azami smiled at him. "You keep surprising me today Nile."

Nile took her hand and squeezed it gently. In response she returned his gesture. Sampson smiled from the backroom having witnessed the scene. He gave them a few more moments before emerging from the back and announcing they should get some rest. The two nodded and found separate sleeping areas for the night.

In the morning the three left together towards the gate. When they arrived Ben gave a short briefing about what they could expect out in the city ruins, and how the teams would coordinate their movements. He summed everything in one single line.

"Don't get your asses bit."

Junbei sighed of boredom as he stood with Kimi and Mana. He was wondering how the hell he drew the weird Gothic girl and her mask-wearing cousin as members for his team. After Ben made the announcement yesterday he expected Sampson to approach him, but instead he ran off to the tall brute and the normal chick. He probably knew something like this would happen.

Kimi sauntered over to Junbei and nudged him playfully.

"What?" Junbei asked flatly.

"If you love Sampson so much you should just go talk to him." She mocked.

"What are you talking about Kimi?" He retorted with attitude.

"You only been staring at him for the past few minutes without so much as blinking twice." She whispered with her suggestive voice.

Junbei blushed realizing that she was indeed right. Without realizing it he was locked onto him when he was delving inside his head.

"Shut up. You know I don't swing that way." He said with a defeated tone.

"Oh I do now?" She asked suggestively.

Junbei face-palmed himself and chose to keep his mouth shut this time. Kimi laughed and walked over to Mana where she continued her act. Mana seemed to handle herself better than Junbei did.

Shortly after the band of Marauders departed from their prison walls and entered the city ruins. It would be about a day's journey until they reached the university grounds where Ben selected their target. It was determined that Ben and the other squads would remain outside the University's territory while one squad would enter.

"We'll go Benny!" Kimi offered with a charming smile. Junbei winced.

"You got it then. Junbei is in charge of handling the discussions. Mana I want you to ensure the mission goes smoothly." He ordered.

"I want a role too!" Kimi pouted.

"Kill anyone who threatens you guys, and bring back their liver as a trophy." Ben smiled his sadistic charismatic smile.

"Okay!" Kimi cheered.

Mana showed no emotion to the turn of events. She nodded to the Pitt Boss then led the way. Kimi followed closely behind her. Junbei paused for a moment before joining them. He was now in a rotten mood thanks to Kimi and her eagerness. After they left the sight of the others he openly questioned Kimi.

"Why did you volunteer us Kimi?" He asked with a murderous tone.

"If they're hostile I will be able to kill them before anyone else. Surely you dont expect me to pass up that kind of an opportunity?" She hummed.

"You didn't think to ask us first before you opened your flapping mouth?" He pressed.

"I figured if you guys didn't want to have any fun then there would be more for me. If you guys dont have to do any work then why should I worry about asking for your opinion?" She retorted.

This time Mana spoke up. "You are very confident Kimi. If they are hostile I expect you to handle it without endangering any of us. And Junbei I share your convictions about this, but we can't help it now so lets just roll with it. The faster we are finished means the faster we get home." She stated with authority.

Junbei was still upset, but knew Mana was correct. Despite her appearance she was a rational person who was focused on the task at hand. That focus would be needed if they were going to be successful as the scout team for this "war" of Ben's. Kimi was a handful but at least she could be counted on for responding to combat.

Settling that episode the three continued into Apostle territory where they were found then led to the President.

* * *

**Outside the President's Office**

Junbei stared blankly at his sister. Beyond a shadow of a doubt it was her. The bright amber eyes was all he needed to draw the conclusion. He tried to reach out to her before Brandon intercepted his motion, positioning himself between the two. Junbei stared at him with murderous eyes.

"What do you think your doing?" He questioned.

"I am just making sure Yuuki stays safe. She's under my care right now, and I dont know you." Brandon explained.

Junbei's blood boiled, he heard enough. He quickly swung a right-handed haymaker aimed at Brandon's left cheek. Brandon was able to quickly react to the unannounced attack by ducking to the right. Junbei quickly followed up with a sweep that Brandon failed to anticipate. In a flash Brandon found himself on his back with a furious Junbei already coming down to meet him with another haymaker. Brandon was trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and brought his hands up to catch the strike.

Brandon successfully caught Junbei's attack and used his momentum to direct Junbei's body next to him. Brandon quickly rolled over on top of Junbei so he held the full-mount position. Junbei tried to free one of his legs but Brandon's calculated adjustment trapped Junbei once again. Junbei reacted by throwing a fury of jabs and inside punches, striking whatever part of Brandon's body that was available. Brandon managed to block most of the weak strikes as he struggled to calm down Junbei.

Yuuki watched in horror as her brother attacked Brandon. She began to yell at both of them in hopes of calming them down. Having no luck standing by the wall she moved to get closer to them, but her move was halted by Kimi who stepped in front of her.

"Lets let the men settle this one dear." She offered diplomatically.

"They might get hurt!" Yuuki argued.

"Wouldn't that be great?" Kimi asked with a deviant smile.

Yuuki prepared to strike Kimi before her squad mates stopped her. Kimi blushed violently after witnessing her attempt.

"You're so beautiful Yuuki. That raging temper and brilliant look...I could just eat you up." She slapped her hands on her cheek and giggled violently.

"You're insane." Yuuki retorted.

"I blame my parents." Kimi responded with noticeably less excitement.

Back on the ground Brandon was trying to restrain Junbei but having difficulties. He was sure Junbei never took any martial arts due to his movements, but he still could resist Brandon's movements without tiring. Whats worse was that Brandon was beginning to get angry after Junbei landed some solid hits. For a smaller guy he surprised Brandon.

"Just calm down!" Brandon demanded.

"Get the fuck off me! How dare you crowd Yu like that!" Junbei retorted.

"Its not like what you are thinking!"

Junbei finally managed a hip escape to free his left leg. He then launched himself from his left side and delivered a thunderous elbow to Brandon's skull. The strike was unanticipated and rocked Brandon who fell over to the side. Yuuki screamed and slipped past Kimi, dropping to her knees beside Brandon. Jumbei stood up and tried to approach Yuuki. As he took a step Yuuki turned her head to him.

"Why did you do that Jun?" She pleaded, her eyes watery.

Junbei stared at her in shock." Because he was crowding you Yu! I just wanted to see you..." He began to take a step but Yuuki's reply stopped him.

"Jun just stay there! I can't believe you would hit him when he was just trying to calm you down. Your temper was always such a problem when we were younger." She began to cry.

Junbei stood frozen with his eyes hidden from everyone. He clenched his fists till they began to turn white, then turned around and left. Yuuki choose that stranger over him, here own blood. He could not entertain the idea anymore and choose to abandon it. His blood continued to boil even after he left the building and headed over to the gates. Shortly after his companions joined him in silence. It was odd to see Kimi give him space but he was thankful. He needed to clear his head.

Yuuki continued to cry even after Brandon regained his senses and they were all sitting back in the President's office. She refused to eat or drink anything, and ignored anyone's attempt of conversation. She was not sure what happened to Junbei over the past year of their separation but he was...different. She struggled to conclude as to what was the difference she sensed, but she knew something changed.

After an hour everyone returned to their quarters or wherever they were needed at the time. It was decided that Brandon would walk Yuuki home just in case the Marauders tried to take her by force for whatever reason they may possess. The President wanted to ensure to Yuuki that she was safe, and hoped by having Brandon with her she may begin to relax.

The two left together without saying anything and continued to remain in silence until they reached Yuuki's place.

"Looks like we're here." Brandon stated with hopes of starting up a conversation.

Yuuki was fishing for her keys and only offered only a nod in response. After a moment she slid the key into the brass lock and turned it, unlocking the door. She reached for the handle and twisted it. A soft creak was heard as the door swung open. Brandon mentally sighed. He felt like he failed Yuuki as her friend. He opened his mouth for his last attempt of conversation, but was cut-off by Yuuki's trembling voice.

"It's like he changed Brandon." She said quietly, choking on the last part.

Brandon paused and thought for a moment about what he should say in this situation. "After the outbreak many things changed Yuuki. I never knew your brother personally so I can't really say for sure, but I believe he is still the same person you remember." He offered.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, sounding slightly offended.

"This new reality we find ourselves in brings out our truest form. There is no vanity anymore, no gimmicks to play for a job promotion or a hook-up, heck there isn't even a lawn to cut every week. All of us are predators in this new setting, trying to survive by any means necessary. Your brother is a fighter, and a damn good one too. I could tell he really cares about you Yuuki."

"He didn't listen to me Brandon. It was like I was yelling at a brick wall wearing ear plugs." Yuuki continued.

Brandon gave a small chuckle. "I don't know about the ear plugs and all, but I will agree about him being a block head. But you know, I respect that about him because it shows he fights for what he believes in and doesn't let anyone deter him from his beliefs."

"I don't know what he believes in anymore. I thought he may try to kill you there at one point."

"You both possess a dangerous temper but I don't think he would've killed me. He only wanted answers about you."

"Did I screw up by yelling at him?" Yuuki began to cry and cupped her hands over her face.

Brandon wrapped his arm around her and led her inside, closing the door behind them. Afterwards he sat her on the couch in the living room and grabbed some tissues for her before he responded.

"No one was wrong in how they acted at that particular moment. It was a very emotional moment for both of you and I should never of interrupted the moment, and for that I'm sorry Yuuki."

Yuuki buried her head into his chest and continued to sniffle. Brandon was unsure what else he could do for her at the moment so he just wrapped his arms around her. After a few moments of silence he began to stroke her hair and tell a story.

"Before the outbreak I landed a job as a stock boy for the local grocer following the end of my tour in Afghanistan. One day a lady came in with her young son looking for a deck of playing cards. Apparently her son loved magic tricks and wanted to perform a few for his friend having a birthday party that weekend. I asked her son if he could show me a trick. He got really excited and pulled out a piece of cloth along with a pencil. He showed me the cloth and asked me if I looked at it, then he closed his hand as if he was holding a cup and placed the cloth over his hand. He shoved the pencil inside the cloth twice then removed it. He looked at it curiously then announced the third time was a charm. Instead of shoving the pencil he dropped it over the cloth. The pencil swished through the cloth and clattered on the ground. He grabbed the cloth swiftly and held it up to me to prove it had no holes through it. I was really surprised and exclaimed how cool the trick was. He got excited again and asked me if I wanted to see another trick. I told him sure, and asked what he was going to do. He smiled and reached out towards my left ear. I watched his arm carefully before I heard a rustle. He yanked back his arm and held out a deck of cards with the biggest grin you ever saw. I was so surprised I began to question if he stole the cards, but then his mother stepped past me and rejoined my view. I realized she must've passed him the cards when I was fixated on her son."

Yuuki gave a small laugh and lifted her head from Brandon's chest. "I think she may of been the one who introduced magic to her son." She giggled.

"I think you may be onto something there Watson." Brandon smiled.

The two locked eyes and fell silent. Both pairs of eyes studied each other closely and became drawn together by an unknown force. Yuuki's head went blank as she slowly pulled Brandon towards her. Brandon offered no resistance to her and allowed himself to be sucked into her embrace. He gently cradled her cheek and pulled her into him. Their lips met somewhere in the middle, and a rush surged through both of them. They remained locked together for a few moments before they both agreed to take a breather. After the two separated they looked at each other for one final tense moment, then they both burst into laughter.

* * *

**In Conclusion!**

I don't know about you guys...but that last moment touched my heart while writing it. For me Warring Factions encompasses much more than just a battle for supremacy. Your submitted characters bring different elements to the world, creating volume and introducing life to the different settings. Love, fear, comedy, psychos...all these wonderful things. Its been a pleasure authoring this storyline, and I look forward to seeing what we create together in the future chapters. You guys are awesome, and I hope to hear your thoughts!

**Also if any of you would like to Beta read my chapters please PM me! I have difficulty catching mistakes in my own writing and would love to have some help.**

Remember everyone, Rotto loves mysterious and riddles.

_Oh, and don't forget the zombies ;)_


	9. Picking Up the Pieces

I have a poll once again on my profile so please check it out before you get reading this chapter. You may find it entertaining to say the least. Whichever question wins in popularity will be answered on the next chapters of my stories. Do note you can vote TWICE on the poll if you find yourselves torn between two choices.

Hey guys! Next installment here of the Warring Factions! I will be slimming down my chapters as of now because of my busy schedule, and I want to update often. Expect 5-7k chapters regularly for now. Please understand that this does not affect the story's plot. I will continue to progress the story the way I planned to, just covering less events every update. I apologize if you are disappointed with this change.

**If you have not checked out my latest story (Tokonosu Cold Case) please check it out! Its a pre-outbreak setting involving the East Police Station and its law enforcers (SYOC).  
**

* * *

_Chapter 9: Picking Up the Pieces_

**Yuuki's Place**

Brandon's eyes fluttered open. He saw the sun's vibrant rays strewn across the ceiling, and that's when he remembered last night with Yuuki. His heart skipped a beat and he quickly looked down on his chest. Yuuki's semi-clothed sleeping form was there, snoring softly as she remained asleep. He smiled and silently thanked yesterday was not a dream. He kissed her head tenderly, catching a vanilla aroma emitted from her hair. It was beautiful, and so was she.

Yuuki stirred awake as her head wiped across Brandon's chest groggily. With her slender right hand she wiped the mysterious "sand" from her eyes and looked up at Brandon with her vibrant amber eyes. Her expression was a timeless confusion slowly transforming into a panicked realization. The dream where she thought was only a dream, turned into a reality she was not ready to face.

"Good morning Yuu-" Brandon began.

Yuuki quickly scrambled away and fell onto the floor along with a groaning thud. The fall appeared to not faze her as she reeled away from Brandon. Alarmed, Brandon rose up and quickly tried to calm her down with a barrage of soothing words meant to withdraw her fear and bring back the joy she possessed the night before. She chose to ignore the words and seal the soothing harmony away from her mind. She knew he meant well, and he was not going to attack her. Her fear was something much more complex in depth but yet so simple by context, she was afraid.

It was only yesterday that her brother lost control and battered Brandon for simply interfering with their "beloved" reunion. If Jun was to ever find out that the two shared an embarrassing moment like the previous night, furthered fueled by Brandon spending the night holding her...there was no telling what Jun would do. That unknown quickly instilled enough fear into Yuuki for her to realize how foolish she was for allowing Brandon in like she did.

"I'm sorry Brandon...I should have never drawn you in like I did last night..." Yuuki began to cry.

"Yuuki what are you talking about?" Brandon asked gently. He was confused why she was upset.

Between sobs Yuuki tried to reply but was overwhelmed with emotion to the point where she was unable to string cohesive words. She could only shake her head and further delve into recession from Brandon.

"Just calm down Yu-" Brandon soothed as he approached her.

Yuuki attempted to avoid Brandon by running across the room. In her delusional fear she failed to notice the coffee table and crashed into it. From the floor she groaned as she reoriented herself and spotted the wine bottle she kept in her cupboard beside her. She picked up the glass bottle and inspected its contents. Only a few maroon droplets were left inside the vessel which was a gift from the seller when she first moved in. Yuuki never opened the bottle nor planned to, and seeing it now she slowly began to piece together a story of her imagining from last night.

Brandon began to fear she hurt herself after watching her remain silent with only inaudible shaking persisting as a form of communication. He reached out to her and grabbed her forearms while still positioned behind her. Yuuki allowed herself to be raised from the ground and steadied herself after regaining her footing.

"What's this?" Yuuki asked calmly.

Brandon peered over her shoulder and focused on the object in her hands. His eyes widened as his head surged with sudden images flashing from the previous night with Yuuki. Her amber eyes were narrowed at him as she interpreted his reaction to the glass bottle. Despite her calm demeanor her heart was smashing against the walls of her rib cage hoping to escape the prison. Her stomach contracted as the acids inside formed a pit and became a weight that sat restless. Brandon's reactions were enough to confirm her suspicions surrounding the glass bottle.

"I can't believe you took advantage of me Brandon..." Yuuki began to sob.

At this time Brandon came to realize through the memories he regained what conclusion Yuuki reached on her own. "Please listen Yu-"

"Forget it! How can a marry a man after being defiled like this?!"

"Its not what you think." Brandon tried to reason.

"Oh it isn't now? I can't remember anything after kissing you last night and then I wake up in your arms and find this empty wine bottle on the floor, which by the way was stored in my cabinet, and its not supposed to be what it obviously is!?"

"Just listen to me for a second Yuuki. Yes we did drink the bottle bu-"

"Exactly." Yuuki said coldly. Her eyes blurred as she tried to contain her tears.

Before Brandon could retort she turned around and headed for the door in a fleeting escape.

"Yuuki wait!" Brandon shouted.

He chased her after image through the front door. He spotted her halfway down the road running full speed. He sighed and sat down on her stairs. He knew nothing would be achieved if he somehow managed to catch her at this time, so he would wait for her to return and hopefully then convince her she was mistaken.

Above him the sun cast a fiery glare as its intense rays scorched Brandon's clothes. The wind was dry and offered no relief from the withering heat, but still Brandon remained on the steps, diligent in his actions for he knew Yuuki would return...

* * *

**Humanity Tower Site**

It was a week after the explosion of Humanity Tower and only an estimated quarter of the debris was removed from the community. Everyone inside the Founder's community were assigned shifts to help with the clean-up project. There were many objections to this enlistment and fights between the Sentinels and civilians were rising. The fear of another attack by the Regals loomed over the community and tensions have never been higher.

Eric lifted a chunk of cement and handed it off to Ayame who was next to him. She then handed it off to the person next to her and prepared to receive another piece of debris. The train method they implemented proved to be very effective for removing the debris from their community. By creating a "train" by having everyone line up from the gates to the explosion site they were able to clear out areas quickly. However, the method was not perfect. At times people would grow weary and hurt themselves while trying to handle debris handed to them.

Eric knew the clean-up project would take another month at least before the site would be cleared and new buildings could be constructed. No matter how much reconstruction the community produced it would never replace their personal losses. Parents, grandparents, visitors to the tower, so much was lost in the explosion. He just had to look into their eyes and every ounce of pain would be there, an array of ranging emotions fueling the mind. The Sentinel's recruitment reports showed they tripled the recruit count from last month within this week alone. They wanted revenge, and they wanted it now.

Ayame looked over at Eric, she knew where his mind was at. "Motivation fueled by hatred is useless if we want to keep everyone safe. This hatred will only cause rash actions on the battlefield, and more sorrow...what will you do, Sir?"

Eric remained silent for a moment before answering. "This suffering cannot be relieved by kind words and soulful music Ayame...we will strike back at the Regals in order to reclaim our dignity and bury our loved ones with their blood. That will be how we destroy this hatred that's plaguing everyone."

Ayame sighed. "I was afraid it would be something like that."

"Don't be afraid. Just be ready to lead your comrades when I call on you." Eric ordered.

Ayame nodded. "Always at the ready Sir."

Down the human train a familiar pair were also helping out while engaged into another ethical debate. These "altercations" have become somewhat famous around the community following the explosion of Humanity Tower. Many speculated it was attributed to the lowered morale of the Founder population as the reason why these random and usually nonsensical arguments brought life to the community.

"You senseless barbarian! You handed me that excessive heap on purpose!" Yuuji excused.

Felix glanced over at him with his ever-lasting bored expression. "Did not."

"A fiend and a liar! That portion of concrete is at least a twentieth smaller than this one you just handed me." Yuuji argued.

"I think you are just an exaggerator." Felix said dryly.

His comment earned a few laughs among the other Founders next to the pair. Yuuji's glasses turned to face everyone who began to laugh as his face turned crimson.

"Y-you planned all of this...Is that what you write in your childish notepad these days?!" He asked in a shaking tone.

"Nope. I just need my head for that one." Felix teased.

Now everyone began to laugh even harder and Yuuji screamed. He slapped his face and sunk in despair.

"I have been bested by a child..."

"Now that's just cold." Felix mocked.

"NOW YOU CARE BEING CALLED A CHILD?!" Yuuji cried out.

"Hey! You two quit your theatrics and focus on your jobs!" Ayame ordered.

"Sure." Felix responded in his bored tone.

Ayame glared for a half-second before turning back to assist everyone.

"She's the Co-commander Felix! You need to adjust your tone when you address her." Yuuji scolded.

Felix turned back to his friend and replied with honest eyes, "I did though."

Yuuji face-palmed. He was almost positive no one could decipher Felix's tone or expression, including himself despite the longevity of their friendship. The two have been close friends ever since Yuuji was first introduced to Felix when he was still recovering.

* * *

_**Marketplace**_

_Eric gestured his hand towards the bored-looking male with the palest blonde hair Yuuji ever witnessed. A blotch of messy hair covered the front while a small ponytail stuck out from behind his neck. The man's eyes had a certain tint that made his green marble eyes appear dull. Yuuji was mystified by the stranger's appearance.  
_

_"This is Felix Read. I want you to watch over him and help him get_ _acquainted around here." Eric asked. _

_Yuuji nodded. "I am Yuuji Okatami, pleasure is mine." He stuck his hand out._

_ Felix grabbed it and they both shook in rhythm . Yuuji inwardly sneered, Felix seemed like a easy pawn to manipulate. With his newbie status Yuuji could easily use him to commit crimes without fear of persecution. _

_'Now I can extra food rations from Ayame today..." Yuuji thought merrily. _

_Eric left the two and returned to the Sentinel Headquarters. Felix and Yuuji watched his body dipped into the shifting crowd in silence. Yuuji turned to Felix and found him sniffing the air. Yuuji stared at him with a confused expression and realized why Eric dumped him off with him, the guy was a total weirdo. _

_Felix spoke up suddenly. "Is that molten steel I smell?" _

_Yuuji was shocked. "You can smell that far away?" He asked._

_"Was I right?" _

_"Well there is a set of buildings where weapons and other metalwork are crafted, but its on the other side of the community. At that distance I find it almost inconceivable to imagine you can actually smell that far away."  
_

_"Sounds about right then." Felix mumbled.  
_

_'This guy is a complete nutcase...but that just means it will be easier to pin the blame on him' Yuuji thought._

_"Anyways Felix let me show you where you can get your meals."_

_Felix offered no reaction and simply looked at Yuuji. His green orbs peered inside Yuuji's mind for a moment. Yuuji began to feel nervous, it felt like Felix was dissecting him and examining every compartment locked away inside his soul. There was no escape, no way to nullify the anxious feeling that was flooding his veins. Felix reduced Yuuji's confidence to a window he could look through and understand with a single glance.  
_

_"Sounds good." Felix stated. _

_Yuuji inwardly sighed a breathe of relief. The man was unimaginably intimidating..._

* * *

Indeed the pair's first conversation was unorthodox in every practical way Yuuji would contend. However, that never stopped him from bonding with Felix over the months of triumph for the Founders. Together they witnessed many changes that served as critical reform for the small community. Restoring the cafe and having basic utilities provided proved to lower food poisoning for the population by allowing individuals trained in culinary arts to have a functional workplace where they could properly prepare produce for everyone.

After the kitchen's resurrection emphasis was placed on the security of their community. Eric proposed the concept of a military force who would be fully-trained with strategic tactics and entrusted to serve the community and protect every life inside its territory. In turn they would also have a smaller division dedicated to patrolling the streets and ensure order was kept within the territory as well. Yuuji attended the initial hearings along with Felix and offered his support for Eric's concept.

During these months Yuuji spent with Felix he began to understand how complex Felix was. Past his average-looking appearance and bored expression the man was constantly assessing the situation around him. He understood what certain actions may cause and knew how to place himself into an advantageous position while drawing little attention. He also mastered the art of sarcasm and innocence to the point he could craft both together, which drove Yuuji crazy during their conversations. It was past rationalism and logic.

Yuuji came to view Felix as an equal and abandoned his original plan to manipulate him to achieve his original goals. Felix could simply not be manipulated and maybe even manage to turn the tables completely around if placed into the scenario. The uncertainty told Yuuji to prey on other members of the community he knew would provide as easy victims, rather than take his chances. Yuuji valued logic above all else, and it never failed him.

Yuuji glanced down at his gold Rolex wristwatch. Only another hour of their shift remained before they were released for the rest of the day. The heat was beginning to evaporate every ounce of motivation and energy everyone working had. Yuuji was positive Eric would be forced to release everyone before more disputes were raised. With all the reported "incidents" occurring this past week he would have no choice.

As Yuuji predicted Eric made the announcement thirty minutes later. Ayame closed the announcement by thanking everyone for their continued support. A murmur of grumbles retorted her statement, and that was all the community offered them. With the explosion at Humanity Tower many lives were lost, some of those lives were the only family other Founders had inside the walls. Then while these "orphans" mourn the security force issues shifts to everyone expecting them to show up and shovel out their last connection to those lost family members.

Felix understood this animosity with a sophistication far superior to Yuuji. Through his dull eyes splotches of pain decorated a vast canvas already torn and withered from the wraith of their existence. Humanity itself was dragged down prior to the senseless destruction of Humanity Tower, a catalyst to breed this hatred, and now the plague was becoming realized inside every Founder forced into this tragedy. It was not Eric's battle alone, no matter how much he desired it to be. Everyone inherited this war after the tower's destruction.

"There will be a rebuttal." Felix stated softly. It was an announcement he meant for everyone to hear, but he knew the voice would be louder from Eric.

* * *

**Mikiel's Home**

Mikiel was granted home-stay following the tragedy of Humanity Tower after being discovered passed out. He awoke two days after the event inside the infirmary with several make-shift IV stabbed into his arms. A nearby nurse noticed his movement from across the room and hurried over to assist him. She informed him what happened and how long he was inside his unresponsive state. After the nurse reoriented Mikiel she called for the doctor to evaluate his condition.

Following a series of clinical tests Mikiel was released two hours later on the condition he took a few days to rest. The doctor told him before he left that he would personally inform the Round Table of his absence. Mikiel thanked him and departed from the clinic heading towards his apartment. His head was still throbbing, a byproduct of his collapse from two days ago. The nurse mentioned he would feel fuzzy for a couple days until his body settled back into a routine.

Even after two days of recovery spent in his bed-sheets, Mikiel was still feeling woozy. Inside his brain compartment the sense of urgency tugged on his memories and was constantly dragging a certain event to light. The feeling would never cease its relentless assault on his mind and caused Mikiel to enter a certain delirious state. Reality released its grip on his bed frame and drifted away leaving Mikiel prey to the darkness that swooped in on his vulnerable condition.

There was a bleeding image where a portrait of Mikiel was punctured from behind by a shadowy figure obscured from recognition. Mikiel clenched his chest in response and tried to suppress the image without success. The shadowy figure released its weapon from the portrait and began to hum a soothing tune. The pitch of the voice sounded familiar to Mikiel, somewhere deep in his memory he knew the voice.

Another voice emerged into the vision, different from the singing tone. It was more gruff in nature and often raised into a violent pitch as if it was angry.

"I saved the...now we can never have relations...savages." The voice laughed. It drowned out at certain times causing Mikiel to miss some words.

The singing voice stopped abruptly and responded. "I held up my end...deal now...just keep making things...will be square...Raze darling."

Mikiel's breath sucked up into his chest the moment he heard it. The voice was unmistakably Janet's, but what exactly was she saying to this Raze? He pondered this question for a few more moments until his delirious state collapsed suddenly like a house of cards. A sudden reemergence of a hidden memory sprouted from the shadows and blossomed.

* * *

**Mikiel's Memory**

_There was deafening explosions and gunshots rocking the buildings as Mikiel tried to escape the war zone. His chest felt every concussion, every quake, and every decibel of ear-bleeding sound as he raced through the alley in a blinded retreat. He kept his ears covered with both his hands and plowed through the smoke, choking on the dust particles clinging to his throat. His eyes rang out in stress, pulsing violently and begging for remedy.  
_

_A nearby wall exploded and launched Mikiel forward into a brick building. He had no time to brace himself and smacked the building head-first, causing his vision to swirl. Small black dots began to slowly fill in his bleak vision as the world around him dialed down to an eerie silence. Mikiel rolled onto his back and tried to suckle himself any air he could manage from Mother Nature's breast.  
_

_Gradually Mikiel regained his conscious and pushed the black dots away from his field of vision. With a groan he raised himself back onto his feet with the assistance of the brick wall. He located his Stryker Strykezone 350 Crossbow and picked it up off the ground. After a quick inspection it appeared the weapon sustained only minor damages that would not impede with the weapon's functions. Satisfied with his father's prized weapon remaining intact Mikiel rekindled his retreat.  
_

_The gunshots continued to pierce the peace of the community as Mikiel stumbled down the alley. A figure suddenly dashed across the alley and ducked into a building. Mikiel stopped dead in his tracks and cautiously peered down the corridor of buildings, awaiting for the figure to a few moments he decided to investigate the mysterious figure._

_Mikiel stalked towards the building with his crossbow drawn tightly into his shoulder. His usually dull green eyes were replaced with an intensive focus set on the building. He reached the rustic building he witnessed the figure duck into and found a shattered window on the outside. He braced his back onto the wall and carefully peered through the window. _

_He saw a short raven-clad character hugging another unfamiliar person while a third armored individual laughed. A light broke through the building and shone on the character's head, revealing a familiar orange pony-tail. Mikiel tried to recall where he saw this person before, but failed to recollect the memory.  
_

_The armored individual began to laugh and cheered, "I saved the Regals! Now we can never have relations with these savages!"_

_The shorter figure replied, "I held up my end of our deal now. Just keep making things interesting and we'll be square Raze darling."_

_"Oh I will Janet. I wish you would join us back at my place, I have very many** interesting** things we could do."  
_

_"Maybe later, I have more things I need to attend here. So many girls I still need to devour." _

_The pony-tailed figure broke the embrace, revealing a bloodied dagger in her right hand. She quickly turned around and headed towards Mikiel, unaware she was being watched. Upon seeing her face Mikiel immediately recalled her being the woman he bumped into the previous week. He tore his eyes away from the window and raced to get out of sight in case Janet spotted him upon exiting the building._

_He took cover behind the wall and peered over towards the window expecting Janet to appear. After a few moments of nothing he began to wonder where she could've went. He glanced around but still saw no signs of her._

_'Maybe she choose to stay in there?' He wondered._

_Suddenly his head was struck by blunt object causing his head to whiplash, effectively knocking him out..._

* * *

After recalling the memory that persisted to remain hidden Mikiel came to a frightening realization. His realization became a reality when his eyes traveled towards his doorway and spotted the same figure from his memory. In his doorway Janet stood with a smug smile. Her gorgeous orange hair fell down over her yellow sports bra. A tight pair of navy shorts revealed her enticing slender legs. She had a gleaming black dagger in her left hand. It appeared to be dripping wet as if it was dipped into some sort of liquid beforehand.

"I heard you weren't feeling well Miki so I decided to drop by. Sorry for the intrusion." She said sweetly.

She approached the bed and ran her fingers across the oak frame. Mikiel reached over to his nightstand where he kept his crossbow and gripped the handle. In one swift motion he swung over back onto his back and took aim where Janet was standing. However, no one was there now and Mikiel momentarily pondered where she went until he felt something wet against his neck.

"No need to be up in arms over a small girl like me Miki. What could I possibly do to you?" She teased.

"It seems you came to finish the job." Mikiel said dryly.

"Hardly so, I came here to inform you of your new duties now that you belong to me." Janet stated.

"Yea I don't think so. I despise bullies trying to force others to do their dirty work." Mikiel retorted harshly.

Janet snickered and stuck her fingers down his throat, causing a sudden rush of nausea to overtake him. Mikiel tried to fight her but found himself feeling weakened suddenly.

"Feeling weak Miki? See you ingested a single drop of my signature poison just now when you forced me to do this disgusting service for you."

Janet removed her hand from Mikiel's throat and walked to the front of the bed. Her cold grey eyes watched Mikiel carefully, then she reached down and left a sheet of paper by his feet.

"Follow those instructions and keep your mouth shut. If you do that I promise you won't die an agonizing death by my blade." She turned around and proceeded to leave the room.

"Oh, and if you go to anyone about what you saw a couple days ago...just know I will introduce you to Hell before I send you there myself." She threatened over her shoulder in that fake sweet voice she possessed.

Mikiel tried to argue but her poison drained him entirely and made it impossible for him to retort. After a few moments of excruciating pain he gave up and and closed his eyes. The more he struggled the faster the poison would spread, and possibly kill him. Given Janet's warning he suspected the amount she introduced into his body was not lethal. But now what will he do?

* * *

**Round Table**

"We must fight!" Knight Hemsworth argued.

"I believe our focus should be on protecting the communi-"

"Your weakness is that you're a coward Knight Luim!" Hemsworth bashed.

"Knight Hemsworth that's enough of your insults!" Knight Hargo roared.

"Why is it that you two would rather allow this deliberate offense come to pass instead of bringing justice to those guilty?" Knight Hemsworth asked.

Some of the other knights began to murmur in agreement with Hemsworth's perspective. The majority felt like a swift retaliation was warranted for the massacre of their community. Knight Hargo continued to sweat profusely throughout the meeting as the arguments became louder and more personal. It was obvious every member of the Round Table was infuriated over the Regal's swift attack, and they all wanted justice. The issue became on how they would proceed to avenge themselves, and Knight Hemsworth along with Knight Lium led the debate into a battleground of politics.

"What we allow is this chosen table to make the best decision for this community by engaging in respectful debates to come to a decision _together_." Knight Lium retorted.

Hemsworth snorted, "Ever since you made that one motion months ago you been rather overly confident..._Lium_."

"That insult is exactly what I was referring to when I said respectful." Knight Lium said plainly.

"When you start displaying respect for our fallen comrades I will begin to respect you as a Knight of this table!" Hemsworth spat.

Knight Lium slammed her fists onto the table and rose to her feet. "How dare you question my loyalty to this community! I do want to avenge their senseless deaths but acting now is not the time to do so!"

Hemsworth rose to his feet. "Allowing them to escape while we dig out our dead is what you call loyalty? Sounds like you are just running away from the problem if you ask me, little girl!"

Knight Lium's face screwed into a terrifying snarl as she opened her mouth to respond, however Knight Hargo quickly intervened once again.

"Shut up, both of you! I am sick of your constant bickering today, just give it a rest. Now we need to come to a decision today because we have an increasing number of rioting taking place everywhere in the community. Every day more people are getting injured during these outbursts and the threat of a revolution is brewing. Our Sentinels have been threatened by numerous rioters of a 'New Age' coming or some other nonsense, but if it is true then that can be catastrophic." Knight Hargo huffed.

"I stand by what I said. We need to track down that Regal squad and bring them back here to be publicly executed." Hemsworth stated.

Knight Lium looked disgusted but offered no retort. "I remain unconvinced that immediate action will benefit our people at this time. After we recover from the damages sustained from the bombing we should respond to the Regal attack.

Knight Hargo nodded to both of them. He gazed around the table and its members before calling for the final vote of their meeting.

"Now, those who vote we take action immediately please raise your hands."

A large number of hands were raised.

"Now those who vote we should wait until we launch an attack, please raise your hands at this time."

Only his and Knight Lium's hand rose in support for the option. He glanced over at Knight Lium who appeared to be on the breaking point. He closed his eyes and announced the final ruling of their meeting.

"Tomorrow at one-thirty in the afternoon we will meet with Eric to discuss strategies. That will be all for today, meeting...adjourned." He voiced the last word as calmly as he could. His emotions were beginning to crack through his calm demeanor.

"Excellent my brothers, now we will avenge our community!" Knight Hemsworth celebrated with the other members as they walked towards the exit.

Knight Lium laid her head onto the table and began to sob. Hargo remained stoic as he listened to her grieving. He understood that nothing he offered now would soothe her pain. She felt personally responsible for the lives that would be lost in this retaliation, and after all the lives lost at Humanity Tower she was not mentally prepared for another tragedy.

"I'm sorry Lium. The decision will stand...tomorrow we prepare for war."

* * *

Please Review! :)

**Author's Notes**

How many failed "end-of-story" wrap-ups have I attempted so far with Warring Factions? Well I am trying one more because I absolutely love sharing my ideas and chatting with my readers. I enjoy getting to know your thoughts and concerns as well, and so with this wrap-up I call "Author's Notes" I will devote it to my personal emotions I have on the chapter. I encourage you guys to send me a PM with any question you want answered, like "Why did you kill Bob the Zombie? He was already dead you idiot!" just as an example. I will answer it in the following chapter to the best of my ability, minus any spoilers of course.

Rotto:

I took some time with this chapter because I wanted to really focus on the paragraph shaping and utilize more vocabulary. To me it comes much more naturally then dialogue, and I am forever envious of writers who demonstrate such a compelling ability to orchestrate verbal exchanges between two characters and make it look so natural. Your wizardry is beyond me, but awesome job.

The Brandon/Yuuki scene is included despite indulging further into their story and instead focusing on the Founder's aftermath because I wanted to create an actual anxious feeling within the reader. My vision is the period of waiting for the follow-up chapter will be akin to Brandon's anxious wait for Yuuki to return. We all know how long a minute takes to pass when we are waiting anxiously for something to occur.


End file.
